Res Nostra
As Thomas Paine points out, English government (the ancestor of ours) goes back to the Norman Conquest. William the Bastard, Duke of Normandy told the English people, “submit to my rule and pay my taxes or I will hurt you.” This is classic protection racketeering.
The people pointed out that while William and his Norman Knights were good, if all the people fought they could beat him. William answered this point with four distinct answers:
A. Not everyone would fight back, you may not be able to raise enough troops to beat me. Even if you
do you will wear yourself out and then the Norse, Scots, and Irish will have their way with you. I’m bad, without me you will be stuck with a worse mess.B. I’ll protect you from the Norse, Scots, and Irish, and local bandits. So submitting will not only keep me from hurting you, it really is buying protection.
C. OK, I’ll also provide you with roads,courts of justice, and reasonably just laws. As time passes my successors will find other ways to reinvest the extortion (I mean tax money) you are paying to increase your productivity (I mean make your lives more prosperous and pleasant).
D. In conclusion pay up and I won’t hurt you and it’s cheaper to pay than fight anyhow. I will also protect you from your enemies and toss you some goodies.
The people of England agreed and William changed his sobriquet and title to the Conqueror, King of England.
