The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty

These notes are old and were written while reading — they don’t necessarily reflect my current views.

Shackled Leviathan

Nazis, Stalin were Leviathans

“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out

because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out

because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out

because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me

and there was no one left to speak for me.”

They explain their concept of a corridor in which the leviathan is powerful enough to order society but weak enough not to interfere with peoples freedom. This corridor can be shaped by outside factors.

They explain the concept of public/privat partnership in the US like enacting a law that one can claim the land next to a highway one built. This gave government the power to incentivise railroad building without having to pay for it. The judicial system is also in large parts outsourced to the people. Citizens may accuse someone of defrauding the government. If the lawsuit is successful, they keep part of the settlement. Thats a pretty genius way to structure society.

Paper Leviathan