Good points, Fluffy. Governments are artificial constructs and it amazes me how they've brainwashed people to feel loyalty to and even obligation toward them, regardless of their natures and behaviors.
Why do people in China feel obligated to support China's government when even a casual overview of the smörgåsbord of world governments would convince them that the Swedish government, (and numerous others) was more benign and more supportive of their interests. Why does your average Chinese feel an allegiance to China and not Sweden? Their being born in a region controlled by the Chinese government was entirely accidental.
Governments developed out of gangs of bullies that physically dominated others in their bands. As society grew the gangs became more organized, insinuated themselves into every aspect of life, found that providing services for their supporters was in their best interest ("we'll grant you this favor, but we may, at some time in the future, require some favor from you...).
During the1930s areas of Chicago controlled by the infamous gangster Al Capone had soup kitchens, a welfare/dole system for the indigent, regular trash pickup and "law enforcement." -- all of which were pretty spotty in the city controlled areas. With luck, such gangsters gain total control and acquired a patina of benevolence and legitimacy. They become governments and, for some reason, people feel that they are born with an obligation to them, that these governments have some legitimate legal dominion or sovereignty, even that they could compel service and absolve citizens of moral responsibility for the actions they require.
If I decided my neighbor was a miscreant and shot him, I'd be brought up on charges. If the whole neighborhood association meets and decides he should be shot we'd still be arrested. If the City council called for his execution the situation starts becoming ambiguous. But if the state ( a whole lot of people) decides he must die, then his execution is considered legitimate. And the moral responsibility for the act is absorbed by the state, in loco Cristus -- not the actual perpetrator.
The number of people telling you to perform some immoral act has no effect on the act's morality. The perpetrator assumes 100% of the responsibility/karma for the act. Christians will tell you that only Jesus can take upon Himself the responsibility for the sins of others, which is why you'll never find a true Christian in the military, for instance. Following your seargent's orders will damn you to hell if he commands an imoral act and you comply.
(sorry if I'm ranting -- I get carried away...)
----runs and hides..)
