State legitimacy is similarly based on such self deception, whether it uses the traditional “’cos God says so” approach, or the more modern, “’cos we won a popularity contest.” idea: in neither circumstance is there any real reason why people in general should act as if the state has the right to make laws and manage people, and yet it does, apparently to the general good unless you happen to be a radical libertarian.
Surely this is the same as the happiness case: by having most people in a nation sharing the delusional belief in the legitimacy of the state, the nation as a whole benefits.
State legitimacy is similarly based on such self deception, whether it uses the traditional “’cos God says so” approach, or the more modern, “’cos we won a popularity contest.” idea: in neither circumstance is there any real reason why people in general should act as if the state has the right to make laws and manage people, and yet it does, apparently to the general good unless you happen to be a radical libertarian.
Surely this is the same as the happiness case: by having most people in a nation sharing the delusional belief in the legitimacy of the state, the nation as a whole benefits.