I just have a few practical questions about the theory of private defense agencies. Sorry if you’ve addressed these in detail already, just say so and I’ll look around.

First, I want to ask about the unequal purchasing power held by individuals. A parallel can be drawn to private health care; those with the capital would be able to purchase superior service, while the destitute and poor would be have very little, if any, resources to spend on defense. Large corporations like the financial giants or agribusinesses would have the funds to use their “defense” agencies for more offensive purposes; what in theory would prevent these huge businesses from reestablishing old-style imperialism aimed at opening up markets and destroying competitors? What would stop them from subjugating their labor force besides an equally large defense agency aligned with the workers? War or the constant imminent threat of war would be very profitable for a private military-industrial complex, so what would prevent the encouragement of a worldwide management-labor cold war or hot war?

What would the system of law be like? Would each agency have its own “constitution,” in a way?

Consider the situation of a cartel. In today’s world, many cartels have resorted to government support to maintain themselves. In a world of private PDAs, couldn’t the members of a cartel use these organizations to maintain cartels via force in many or all industries?

And what about a cartel of PDAs—they could easily enforce the organization by ganging up on any agency that dared break the “contract.” There would a continuous arms race due to the competition, and a situation rife with suspicion and tension—not unlike today’s world of public defense agencies administered by governments. They could ensure business and high prices through coordinated attacks on each other’s customers.

These are just some potential problems I see arising, and I'm curious how the theory would solve them.

__________________
No man is an island...
Each man's death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in Mankind.
And therefore, never send to know
For whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.
—John Donne