> the idea that individuals are able to practically defend their possessions against determines thieves doesn't make sense in most societies where violence is not accepted as a normal part of life
I agree. Defense takes on many forms. In the more forward thinking societies, it's usually done with some sort of arbitration.
> Instead, most of us rely on the state to provide a police force.
OK? So?
> Somalia seemed like somewhere your statement might hold true.
Your straw man is behind the times. Somalia has had a central government for quite some time.
> However, I see you make no attempt to actually defend your argument other than calling me a troll.
You made no attempt at an argument other than a borderline ad hominem when you asked, "Do you live in Somalia?" It's a blatant straw man, plain and simple. (Precisely because I never claimed that no government is always better than any government.)
> How does 'arbitration' stop armed thieves taking your possessions
Mostly the same way courts do it today. I defer to David Friedman and his work on polycentric law.
> and what societies are you calling 'forward thinking'?
Any society that prefers non-violent conflict resolution. It's pretty much the cornerstone property and ownership.
Courts do not stop thieves. That is done by police. You have not supported your assertion that owners can defend their own property in some way that is different from how intellectual property is defended.
Polycentric law is an academic construct. If you are advocating a new political system, why not admit that rather than making false claims about the current one.
> Courts do not stop thieves. That is done by police.
They do? Granted, I'm sure it happens some times, but it's rare to see a police officer actually thwart an active robbery. Usually police track down the thief after-the-fact and courts take care of the rest. Also, I don't see a meaningful distinction between courts and police (for the purposes of this conversation). They all fit under the umbrella of arbitration.
> You have not supported your assertion that owners can defend their own property in some way that is different from how intellectual property is defended.
If you try to take a piece of my property, I can physically attempt to defend it. It's the nature of reality because it's a scarce good. If you take it from me, then you've deprived me of it.
Now say I come up with this really cool idea, sell it, etc. How am I going to stop you or anyone else from doing the same (short of keeping something a secret)? I can't. Why? Because it's an idea. They aren't scarce. If you take an idea from me you have not deprived me of the idea itself, which is completely unlike real tangible property that is scarce. You might think that I've deprived you of something else, but then it is no longer like property law dealing in scarcity.
I said this in an earlier comment, I think.
This isn't even a controversial claim. Even the courts today in the US make this distinction. That's why it's called "copyright infringement" and not "theft."
> If you are advocating a new political system
I'm arguing that intellectual property requires a coercive entity while property law dealing in scarcity does not. Since I consider coercion unjust, I therefore conclude that IP is unjust.
> Polycentric law is an academic construct.
Monopolistic law is coercive.
> why not admit that rather than making false claims about the current one
You aren't intellectually honest. Calling men with guns who lock people in cages 'arbitration' is a way of pretending that you don't advocate coercion, when in fact you do.
Then don't do it.
> the idea that individuals are able to practically defend their possessions against determines thieves doesn't make sense in most societies where violence is not accepted as a normal part of life
I agree. Defense takes on many forms. In the more forward thinking societies, it's usually done with some sort of arbitration.
> Instead, most of us rely on the state to provide a police force.
OK? So?
> Somalia seemed like somewhere your statement might hold true.
Your straw man is behind the times. Somalia has had a central government for quite some time.