> The only peaceful solution is a stateless society. That's not peaceful in the slightest. Honest people will have to battle dishonest people just the same. Those willing to kill for money and property will always take it from people who aren't. If both parties are willing to kill, it's the one who kills first who wins. The more money and property they acquire, the more power they have. At some point they can impose the functional equivalent of a government. It could be warlords that rule a few city blocks, or an entire region. You don't need government for that. A republican form of government is an acknowledgement of the ever-present power dynamic, and instead of allowing it to flourish unchecked it is harnessed to some extent. It's like using controlled burns to keep raging forest fires at bay - it's impossible not to have fire, so you'd better have the fire you can control better than the one you have no control over whatsoever.