[CaptWillard]

> Not that this should matter in a civilized country.

It should be very clear by now that "civilization" is more fragile than we'd like to believe.

Society, including the systems that protect you from bad actors, could break down, and quickly.

When it comes to guns, the absense of "government" is an under-appreciated possibility.

[hollerith]

Just look at how useful guns were to average citizens in the USSR during its collapse.

Wait: were guns useful in 1991 to non-gangsters?

[CaptWillard]

I'm sure they were.

You acknowledge the rise of organized crime in a power vacuum, but doubt the utility of self-defense in that environment?

[swiftcoder]

Individual self-defense against organized crime syndicates is not terribly effective. You shoot one guy, the capo shows up with 10 men to shoot you.

A broad organized militia may be able to monopolize enough force to keep organized crime in check... and congratulations, you've just reinvented policing from first principles.

[CaptWillard]

> you've just reinvented policing from first principles.

Yes, in the absense of government protection (scroll up)