Every time I visit India, I come back more libertarian, and the reasons why is are Timothy’s points 1), 3), and 5). Random, arbitrary authority is fundamentally disrespectful of the dignity of the citizen, and if it’s for totally pointless reasons it demonstrates a fundamental lack of class. To explain away a decline in the uniform administration of the law with an “everyone does it” is not realism; it’s an apologetic for the retreat of civilization.

And I don’t agree with Bradley, either. By pretty much every measure private society has been getting better since the early 90s — crime rates are falling, violence against women is declining, levels of racist attitudes (like opposition to interracial marriage) are declining, the percentage of children born out of wedlock is falling, the size of the black middle class is growing and the underclass is shrinking, et cetera ad nauseum. When society is getting classier, it’s not credible that government misbehavior is merely symptomatic.

I am reminded of the exchange between the character Cosmo and his old friend Martin Bishop in the movie *Sneakers*:
Cosmo: [They were] let us say, good family men.
Martin Bishop: Organized crime?
Cosmo: Hah. Don’t kid yourself. It’s not that organized.