musings on the nanny state

when a government takes on the role as a “nanny state” – that is, when the state tries to coordinate, with too much of a heavy hand, the matters of its citizens – then that government fails to recognize the value of human individuality and the indissoluble ability of individuals to work out matters on their own, sans state intervention. indeed, individuals throughout history have illustrated the incorrigible spirit that exists within everyone, and thus allows individuals to solve their own conflicts and discover their own resolutions.

the notion of voluntary association and exchange is certainly not a farfetched one, and thus should not be treated as such. delving into contemporary policy issues, this concept could prove as an invaluable tool in determining how jurisdictions worldwide function; in the example of the debate over same-sex marriage, the prominent issue in that case is that of rights. why must the government automatically presume that a couple – gay or straight – is incompetent in regard to the issue of drafting its own contract? why can’t these two individuals decide the tenets of their union on their own – and leave the notion of marriage to their house of worship (or lack of which, as the case may be)?

another issue is that of education. currently, the government has a virtual monopoly on how the nation’s children receive their education. how is it feasible to believe that the government is better equipped to assess how children are educated than the children’s parents? schools nationwide are underfunded, inadequate, and unable to cater aptly to students’ needs. optimizing school choice is the most ideal option for how education ought to be facilitated; in this way, the government can minimize its role as a nanny state while certifying the individual right to choose one’s own fate.

by preserving the concept of the nanny state, the government fails to recognize individuals’ abilities in discovering their own resolutions to conflicts and other issues. when applied to contemporary policy issues, such as marriage rights and education, the ideal solution lies in trusting individuals to make their own decisions.