Can a central government be formed without force and violence?

[The2ndWheel]

I'm asking that with Iraq in mind, but it can apply to any center of power. Certainly our system of government wouldn't exist without both defensive and offensive force and violence.

Is stability possible with too much actual diversity? If there are too many ways of seeing the world, and too many of them are a threat to centralized authority, must that type of diversity be done away with to have the ability to form a large scale government?

[ixion]

1. as a rule of thumb: no

historically speaking, at least.

I cannot think of one government, either contemporary or historical, that emerged w/o an accompanying revolt.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

2. Lord Acton's axiom applies to all forms of government.

The best we can hope for is that whatever government is formed, the bosses try to keep the numbers of victims to a minimum.

[BlooInBloo]

3. That's consistent with no victims (=0), and so doesn't answer the OP's question.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

4. Diversity is not always the cause of instability ...

Our own Mayflower Pilgrims left Holland to escape the diversity and religious tolerance. They felt their puritannical beliefs were threatened.

Now, apparently, Holland is "cracking down" on anti-diversity, mostly from the puritannical islamists who apparently go ape-shit if they see two guys kiss on the street, or if they see public breast-feeding.

Holland has been basically stable for a long time with more diversity and tolerance than some could tolerate. There's some kind of irony there.
:rofl:

As for Iraq, I'm guessing that if we ever leave, the place will turn into a civil war / proxy war nightmare, until some strong-man puts an oppressive lid on it. We executed one guy who could keep a lid on the place, after pulling him from his spiderhole. He offered to negotiate. We should have taken him up on it.