Why is protection an important government purpose?

Answer 1

• Protection, also known as national security is a crucial function of government.
• To start off, why is protection in the hands of government and not a world power? Well first, there is no world power. Protection cannot be handled by an international institution like the United Nations as the international system is one of anarchy- there is no world authoritative power to govern the world. Any state is free to do what they want so long as states respect sovereignty. With this in mind, protection falls to the government. Citizens cannot be the ones who send each other to court as citizens have for the most part gave up that authority to the government. Why? Due to the fact that justice has to be served formally with the law and given by hands of authority, which citizens do not usually posses.
• However, perhaps the question is: why do we feel the need for protection? Well the answer is the same reason why citizens put on a shirt: to minimize exposure and not seem vulnerable. As humans, we do not want to appear week, but strong. Protection does exactly this. When we give this power to the government, protection can be driven exponentially than be solely relying on ourselves as the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
• With globalization, goods and services seem to be getting outsourced everywhere. Mercantilism and self-sufficieny ideals are weakening and a global approach is ensuing. The one thing that organizations like the World Trade Organization or the United Nations cannot touch is national security and other things along those lines. Why? Well due to the proximity of what is being talked about and the fact that the international system is one of anarchy (no one can police states, but states can police their citizens), one can conclude that the government has to be the one to take up the shield of protection. Sure one can say mercenaries can be employed, but those are additions, not substitutes. In the end, protection needs to be close, responsible, and authoritative which the government can do.

Answer 2

It isnt. The myth of safety and security is fostered by governments in order that they may control our movements and our liberties in the name of security.