TOD 03.26.08

Which is better: permissive parenting or strict parenting? If you’re wise, you resist the impulse to answer such a ridiculous question. The correct response is, “It depends upon the child.” Older children nearing adulthood require less parental control because they should be able to function mostly on their own, whereas younger children need almost total control.

One child at eight may need less than another child at twelve because they have matured unequally. And certainly even one particular child’s need for oversight will change in shape and size over time. The appropriate level of parenting is thus determined by the maturity of the child.

And so it is with governments, where the right amount depends entirely upon the character of the people being governed. Imposing too much government upon wise people is oppression, but imposing too little upon fools is negligent. And just as with parents, the goal should be to structure government in such a way that it properly fits the populace, while doing as much as it can to reduce the need for its own interference.