> state-owned monopoly on violence
There's an interesting 2012 Ted Talks presentation by Peter van Uhm the then chief of defense for the Netherlands. He discusses the state monopoly on violence as a central point of how and why the military exists.
"Peter van Uhm: Why I chose a gun"
Ted: https://www.ted.com/talks/peter_van_uhm_why_i_chose_a_gun?la...