Posted By Rich Bryant on October 15, 2008

I can think of no better or more useful analogy than that between the role of government in a free society and that of an umpire in a sporting event.   The umpire exists to provide the assurance that the game is played fairly, and to assign penalties when it is found that the rules are being violated.

Similarly, in a free, capitalistic society the government exists to provide the assurance that everyone abides by the laws, and to fairly and impartially levy penalties in those cases when the law is found to be broken.

Just as the umpire is essential to the proper playing of the game, government is essential to the proper functioning of a free society.

This analogy is most useful in both helping to illuminate cases in which government exceeds it’s proper role, as well as to underscore the necessity of government’s proper role.  Considering this analogy it is no more appropriate for government to involve itself in the running, financing or promotion of a business than it is for an umpire to spontaneously join in the game as a player.

The next time you hear of government getting involved in the building of a stadium or sports arena (or, for that matter, buying stocks in banks), with this simple analogy in mind, you’ll start to appreciate the ridiculousness (and, indeed, the peril) that society courts.

Categories: Opinion
Tags: government, umpire