[lit-ideas] Re: Paying taxes for months on end [oops]
- From: Teemu Pyyluoma <teme17@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 27 May 2005 06:21:57 -0700 (PDT)
I've enjoyed the discussion between Phil Enns and
Robert Paul, but I think something fairly obvious
needs to spelled out:
Given that we are talking about democractic nations
here, to say that the government has a duty to provide
for example health care, implies that "we the people"
have a duty to provide it. If I, as a member of a
democratic community have a right to something, I also
have the duty to ensure that all other members have
the same right. This is about collective
responsibility vs. invidual responsibility, a line
that is drawn by the people in a democractric process
constrained by invidual rights. Whether collective
decision making is medidated by representatives or
done by referendum, and whether the duties are
fulfilled by public service or by providing funds
(taxes) is irrelevant.
Some rights don't imply any collective costs, at least
none I can think of, these are freedoms like free
speech or freedom of worship. Others and I'd guess
most do, for example right to free and fair trial
implies costs given that trials cost something to
hold. If ought implies can, this makes such rights
contingent, as it is possible that members of a
society simply do not have the means to conduct trials
for example.
I could be reading him wrong, but what I think Phil
Enns is claiming is that only freedoms are proper
rights. Perhaps he thinks collective responsibilities
should be articulated in a language not involving
"rights", which leads to question of what kind of
language that would that be and why it is preferable
to rights-talk? Robert Paul I believe is saying that
in the U.S. constitution rights are used in a sense
that does imply duties, and I do not think that
arguing that rights properly speaking mean something
else makes any difference.
Cheers,
Teemu
Helsinki, Finland
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