A STATE OF FREE RIDERS ?
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Abstract
This article is an essay on the question, whether contemporary state (at least contemporary state in Central and Eastern Europe) is not changing its own nature as a consequence of changing nature of its citizens
– what happens with our state if its citizens start to behave like free riders? The first part presents the free rider’s “moral” attitude (in contrast with liberal, libertarian, Kantian and utilitarian attitudes) and speculates on why this attitude could be dominant nowadays. The second part tries to describe implications of free rider’s attitude for a state- a new metaphor of state as an authoritarian“insurance company” is offered – and for the behavior of politicians and bureaucrats. The third part offers a comparison of these implications with some ideas of public choice theory.The fourth part discusses the role of judges (as guardians of the rule of law and legal principles) in a state of free riders. The fifth part in a form of a conclusion speculates about broader philosophical implication of the presented thesis, especially for the field of communication and language.
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