the distinction between govt and business is sometimes an arbitrary one. for example govt agencies typically contract with private companies to perform govt services. a massive example of this is the defense industry. what I would tend to propose is a system where this is augmented and finetuned to the point the govt become a very efficient sorting mechanism for channeling money to businesses that are the most efficient. a very interesting combination of the ideas of free market and govt service. AB, I disagree that people would opt out of virtually all govt services. bzzzzzzzt. think of things like trash collection etc. I do believe the vast majority of things the govt does would tend to stay there even if people had a choice. the big libertarian question is, as you raise it: should people have to pay for things they don't want. well consider things like roads, police or fire protection, or the court system. what if you don't pay, but then dial 911 anyway? or you dial 911 and they ask for your credit card first? <g> it really does seem to me like there is a legitimate role for a certain amount of money to be collected for govt service. imho it is far, far less than whatis being collected today. if taxes were 5-10% people wouldn't give as much a damn about the govt and how it worked. it's because taxes are so high that people are screeching more. screeching but not acting, as usual. libertarians tend to be awfully realistic some times. who pays for roads when everyone uses them? but I'm definitely into the basic libertarian ideas.