Is government the servant or the master of the people? Over this simple question, wars have been fought, revolutions launched and battlefields left soaking in blood. Because the answer to this question determines whether you are living in a free nation which is ruled by its citizens, or a tyranny ruled over by the few or the one.
Within that broader category, there are two flavors of tyranny. The honest tyrant and the dishonest tyrant. The honest tyrant is a Will to Power type who asserts that he is master because he wields the biggest swords, commands the largest number of troops and will kill anyone who says otherwise. He may be a savage and a monster, but at least he is an honest one. He does not pretend to care for the people or what they think. His rule is not based on propaganda, only naked force.
