First Principles
1. The individual is the primary moral unit
Moral duties arise first from concrete relationships:
- to one’s children;
- to one’s parents;
- to one’s spouse or partner;
- to those with whom one has freely entered agreements.
Government does not create these duties.
They exist prior to government.
2. Individuals owe one another non-aggression and toleration
People should not:
- physically harm one another;
- commit serious fraud;
- destroy or confiscate property;
- interfere unnecessarily in one another’s lives.
Because individuals have different values, beliefs and interests, peaceful coexistence requires mutual toleration rather than ideological conformity.
3. Society is not a moral person
“Society” is a useful shorthand for millions of individuals and associations.
It does not possess:
- a single will,
- a single interest,
- a single conception of the good life.
Therefore governments cannot legitimately claim to be implementing the wishes of “society” as a whole.
Why Government Exists
Government is justified not because it is sovereign but because certain practical tasks require coordination.
Its purpose is to provide:
- peace and security;
- dispute resolution;
- protection of rights;
- basic infrastructure;
- emergency coordination;
- a small number of genuinely shared public goods.
Government is therefore a delegated coordinating mechanism, not a ruler.
Principle of Subsidiarity
Every question should be dealt with at the lowest competent level.
Responsibility should lie with:
- the individual;
- the family;
- voluntary associations;
- local communities;
- regional institutions;
- only then central government.
Central authority must always justify its involvement.
The presumption is against centralisation.
Principle of Limited Jurisdiction
Government possesses only those powers necessary to perform its legitimate functions.
The burden of proof lies with expansion.
The question should always be:
Why is this government’s business?
not:
What should government do about this?
Principle of Broad Consensus
Government should only expand into new areas where there is:
- overwhelming and durable public support;
- evidence that the issue affects virtually everyone;
- evidence that lower levels cannot adequately deal with it.
A temporary majority is not enough.
51% support creates legal power but not necessarily moral legitimacy.
The broader the intervention, the broader the consensus required.
Public Goods vs Private Goods
Government may legitimately support goods that are genuinely public:
Examples:
- defence;
- courts;
- policing;
- roads;
- disease control;
- basic scientific research;
- perhaps a healthcare safety net.
But government should be cautious where benefits are primarily private.
Examples:
- individual lifestyle choices;
- personal advancement;
- cultural preferences;
- specialised education;
- competing moral visions.
The existence of a benefit does not automatically justify compulsory provision.
Harm Principle
Government should focus on preventing clear, objective and broadly recognised harms.
Examples:
- violence;
- serious crime;
- large-scale fraud;
- contamination;
- major threats to safety.
Subjective claims of harm are insufficient.
Government should not intervene merely because:
- somebody feels offended;
- an interest group claims injury;
- a lifestyle is disapproved of;
- a political goal is desirable.
Otherwise the concept of harm becomes limitless.
Culture and the Good Life
Government should provide a framework for coexistence.
It should not define:
- the good life;
- the proper culture;
- correct values;
- desirable lifestyles.
These belong to individuals, families and voluntary associations.
The state’s role is to preserve freedom for such differences to exist.
Emergency Powers
Emergency powers may be justified where there is:
- a clear and present danger;
- urgency requiring immediate action.
Such powers should be:
- delegated;
- temporary;
- narrowly confined;
- reviewable afterwards.
Emergencies do not justify permanent expansion of authority.
Legality vs Legitimacy
A government may possess:
- legal authority;
- political power;
- electoral support;
without possessing moral legitimacy.
Winning an election does not create an unlimited right to govern.
A government acting outside its proper sphere may be legally valid while philosophically illegitimate.
Parliamentary Sovereignty
Parliament may possess legal sovereignty.
But legal sovereignty does not imply moral sovereignty.
No parliament, monarch, court, convention or international institution possesses an inherent right to legislate on every aspect of life.
Authority is legitimate only within its delegated sphere.
Outside that sphere, power may exist, but legitimacy diminishes or disappears.
One-sentence summary
Government is a limited, delegated mechanism for securing peace, resolving disputes and providing a narrow range of broadly supported public goods; it is not a sovereign authority entitled to pursue contested visions of justice, equality, culture or the good life on behalf of society
Hearth and Heart Magazine 
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