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Comments on Do laws matter without police?

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Do laws matter without police? Question

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Do laws only matter if there is a police force enforcing them?

Police in the modern sense is a recent development. Before the 19th century, police forces as today were very rare. But people have made laws since antiquity. What is the point of having a law, if there is no police to make people follow it?

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Historical examples (2 comments)
Is "police" central to this question, or just "enforcement" ? (1 comment)
Is "police" central to this question, or just "enforcement" ?
Michael‭ wrote 6 months ago

Enforcement can come from any manner of sources:

  • Government civil enforcement, like police.
  • Government military enforcement, like gendarmes or actual soldiers.
  • Private enforcement, like a goon squad as Lundin mentions in another thread.
  • Religious enforcement, like the Inquisition or excommunication.
  • Formal community enforcement, like a posse.
  • Informal community enforcement, like ostracism.