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A night-watchman state, also referred to as a minimal state or minarchy, whose proponents are known as minarchists, is a model of a state that is limited and minimal, whose functions depend on libertarian theory. Right-libertarians support it only as an enforcer of the non-aggression principle by providing citizens with the military, the police, and courts, thereby protecting them from aggression, theft, breach of contract, fraud, and enforcing property laws.[1][2][3]
In the United States, this form of government is mainly associated with libertarian and Objectivist political philosophy. In other countries, minarchism is also advocated by some non-anarchist libertarian socialists and other left-libertarians.[4][5] A night-watchman state has also been popularized by Robert Nozick in Anarchy, State, and Utopia (1974).[6] The United Kingdom in the 19th century has been described by historian Charles Townshend as a standard-bearer for this form of government.[7]
- ^ Gregory, Anthony (May 10, 2004). "The Minarchist's Dilemma". Strike the Root: A Journal of Liberty. Archived January 12, 2020, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
- ^ Peikoff, Leonard (March 7, 2011). "What role should certain specific governments play in Objectivist government?" Archived September 12, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. Peikoff.com. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
- ^ Peikoff, Leonard (October 3, 2011). "Interview with Yaron Brook on economic issues in today's world (Part 1)". Peikoff.com. Archived from the original on September 12, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
- ^ Hain, Peter (July/August 2000). "Rediscovering our libertarian roots". Chartist. Archived June 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
- ^ Marshall, Peter (2009) [1991]. Demanding the Impossible: A History of Anarchism (POLS ed.). Oakland, California: PM Press. p. 641[permanent dead link]. "Left libertarianism can therefore range from the decentralist who wishes to limit and devolve State power, to the syndicalist who wants to abolish it altogether. It can even encompass the Fabians and the social democrats who wish to socialize the economy but who still see a limited role for the State." ISBN 978-1604860641.
- ^ Nozick, Robert (1974). Anarchy, State, and Utopia. Basic Books. ISBN 978-0465097203.
- ^ Townshend, Charles (2000). The Oxford History of Modern War. Oxford University Press. pp. 14–15. ISBN 0192853732.
Britain, however, with its strong tradition of minimal government – the 'night-watchman state' – vividly illustrated the speed of the shift [during World War I] from normalcy to drastic and all-embracing wartime powers like those contained in the Defence of the Realm Act.