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Politics : A US National Health Care System?
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To: Lane3 who wrote (23465)3/16/2012 5:04:47 PM
From: TimF  Read Replies (1) of 42652
 
So, looking at the intervening space on the continuum, do you think it theoretically possible for any of our institutions to oppress someone through its actions?

Government institutions - Easily.

Non-government institutions - Well organized crime can oppress someone pretty bad. As can any organization or group or potentially even an individual, if they are seriously willing to harm or control you and the government is unwilling to do anything about it, or its efforts are ineffectual. A corporation could harm you, but most likely harms wouldn't be oppression as they wouldn't be about exercising control or authority. And much of its exercise of authority would be something that was voluntarily agreed to and/or something that anyone could escape (they can't keep you from quitting if you think your boss is too controlling). A pimp might oppress a prostitute, a domestic abuser can be oppressive, most forms of oppression from private individuals or organizations would be illegal. Most of them that are not illegal would require the recruitment of government to some degree.

If there is no way any of our institutions could ever oppress or encroach, then there's no point at looking for the point at which society should intervene to temper institutional power.

If an institution exercises actually forcible control, then its appropriate for the government to step in. There are exceptions (for example parents have a great deal of authority and control over their children), but the exceptions themselves have exceptions (child services can take the kids away from abusive parents).
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