Is initiating force always bad, wrong, unethical or immoral?
The simple answer? No! Now that I may have rustled a few jimmies I'm going to explain and back up my claim.
Force has become solely used with a negative connotation. Even I, who recognizes the word also has a positive side, find myself misusing it in conversation due to years of accepting it as a full on negative. One of my favorite ways to support this claim is to simply look at the extended google definition of the word force. So i Will provide that here.
force
noun: force
1.
strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement.
"he was thrown backward by the force of the explosion"
synonyms: strength, power, energy, might, effort, exertion; impact, pressure, weight, impetus
"he pushed with all his force"
antonyms: weakness
Physics
an influence tending to change the motion of a body or produce motion or stress in a stationary body. The magnitude of such an influence is often calculated by multiplying the mass of the body by its acceleration.
a person or thing regarded as exerting power or influence.
plural noun: forces
"he might still be a force for peace and unity"
synonyms: agency, power, influence, instrument, vehicle, means
"a force for good"
used with a number as a measure of wind strength on the Beaufort scale.
"a force-nine gale"
2.
coercion or compulsion, especially with the use or threat of violence.
"they ruled by law and not by force"
synonyms: coercion, compulsion, constraint, duress, oppression, harassment, intimidation, threats; More
informalarm-twisting, bullying tactics
"they used force to achieve their aims"
3.
mental or moral strength or power.
"the force of popular opinion"
the state of being in effect or valid.
"the law came into force in January"
synonyms: effective, in operation, operative, operational, in action, valid
"the law is now in force"
the powerful effect of something.
"the force of her writing is undiminished"
synonyms: cogency, potency, weight, effectiveness, soundness, validity, strength, power, significance, influence, authority; More
informalpunch;
formalefficacy
"the force of the argument"
antonyms: weakness
4.
an organized body of military personnel or police.
"a soldier in a UN peacekeeping force"
synonyms: body, body of people, group, outfit, party, team; More
detachment, unit, squad;
border patrol;
informalbunch
"a peace-keeping force"
troops and weaponry.
plural noun: forces
"concealment from enemy forces"
a group of people brought together and organized for a particular activity.
"a sales force"
informal
a police department.
noun: the force
5.
Baseball
a force-out.
a situation in which a force-out is possible.
verb
verb: force; 3rd person present: forces; past tense: forced; past participle: forced; gerund or present participle: forcing
1.
make a way through or into by physical strength; break open by force.
"they broke into Fred's house and forced every cupboard door with ax or crowbar"
synonyms: break open, burst open, knock down, smash down, kick in
"the door had to be forced"
drive or push into a specified position or state using physical strength or against resistance.
"she forced her feet into flat leather sandals"
synonyms: propel, push, thrust, shove, drive, press, pump
"water was forced through a hole"
achieve or bring about (something) by coercion or effort.
"Sabine forced a smile"
push or strain (something) to the utmost.
"she knew if she forced it she would rip it"
artificially hasten the development or maturity of (a plant).
synonyms: extract, elicit, exact, extort, wrest, wring, drag, screw, squeeze
"they forced a confession out of the kids"
2.
make (someone) do something against their will.
"she was forced into early retirement"
synonyms: compel, coerce, make, constrain, oblige, impel, drive, pressurize, pressure, press, push, press-gang, bully, dragoon, bludgeon; More
informalput the screws on, lean on, twist someone's arm
"he was forced to pay"
rape (a woman).
Baseball
put out (a runner), or cause (a runner) to be put out, at the base to which they are advancing when they are forced to run on a batted ball.
"I was forced at second base as the first half of a double play"
(in cards) make a play or bid that compels another player to make (a particular response); make a play or bid that compels (another player) to make such a response.
"East could force declarer to ruff another spade"
I know I know.... that's a lot of definitions. Do you see where I'm coming from yet? If not let me highlight a few things. The first definition basically sucks all human action into the definition right off the bat. "Strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement". That could be writing or speaking. Unlike the example provided after the definition speaking and writing violates no other's rights.
The word influence pops up a few times as well. So if I have influenced someone to the position of anarchy without violating their rights my use and initiation of force was not wrong, bad or immoral was it? Here's another example to note, "the force of her writing is undiminished". Now consider the synonyms that come right after that: "potency, weight, effectiveness, soundness, validity, strength, power, significance, influence". None of those words describe a violation of right. The fourth definition talks about groups being forces, such as, a police force or military force. Anarchist know those things involve coercion so it might be easy to assume a negative connotation again. However, what if a bunch of freemen came together to form a militia to fight off a gang in their town the was raping and pillaging? Would they not be a defensive force?
This has been my biggest issue not just in communicating with statists, but also with other anarchists and voluntarists. Many cite initiating force as always being bad, wrong unethical or immoral. I think I've made a great case against such a claim here. Force is all human action. The negative aspects of Force such as "coercion, compulsion, constraint, duress, oppression, harassment, intimidation, threats" are all violations of self-ownership(right). Hence they are violence. SO there it is. I replace the phrase "initiation of force" with the word violence. Could this just be semantics. I guess, but I'm still sticking with my position.