[mullingitover]

The difference between a protection racket and the government is that the government actually protects you. If your government vanishes or stops performing the protection, another neighboring government will happily annex your state.

[mdex]

Mafia actually does protect your business from thieves, and from government tax collection. Just like government, mafia wants to be the only one with a monopoly on using violence to collect money.

And I'm well aware that a vanishing government simply means another government or gang will take over. I'm not advocating anarchy or some utopian ideology.

Understanding what government is and does, does not mean one wants to abolish it.

However, thinking that government exists to serve the people is foolish and naive. Making a fairer government demands an understanding of how it actually operates, that way you do no cede vague and arbitrary power to government under the assumption "they will only use it for good"

[mullingitover]

The 'government is inherently evil' argument is sophomoric and goes against my direct experience, so I can't give you that axiom, sorry. Government, at least in the US, is legitimately of the people (for better and for worse) and it is what we make of it. It's definitely made worse by people who believe it's evil and try to cripple it.