A government is legitimate internally if the governed have consented to it, whatever form it takes.

Added to korrents 2 Sept 2026 · How quotes work · Something wrong? Tell us

Where this collides

• In tension with

  Freedom and democracy are not compatible -- a conclusion reached after two decades of changing his mind about how freedom is achieved.

  Srinivasan grounds internal legitimacy in the consent of the governed, whatever form the government takes. Thiel says freedom and democracy are not compatible, a conclusion he reached over two decades. Consent is the whole of legitimacy in one account and the thing that costs you freedom in the other.

Shared subject first, then similar wording. They may agree or disagree.

• A competent, empowered civil service that performs crucial government functions with in-house expertise is good. NSNoah Smith18 Sept 2026government
• A conspiracy theory can be used as a pretext to dismantle government programs and target researchers and citizens. AAAnne Applebaum4 Sept 2026government
• A free person sees government as a means, neither a giver of favors nor a master to be worshipped MFMilton Friedmanc. 1962government
• A government debt crisis is measurable and therefore visible well in advance; the diagnostic is mechanical rather than a matter of judgement. RDRay Dalio21 Aug 2026government
• A government only has legitimacy through long continuity, and once that thread is cut one regime change reliably becomes five. APAda Palmer16 Jun 2026government

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