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Desmond King says that without politics the chances of improved social well being are limited ("A battle of self versus state", Books, THES , October 20). He thus ignores the thriving, efficient private and charitable welfare alternatives that the rise of the "welfare state" effectively destroyed.

He also says free-market anarchy has been tried and found illiberal. Where exactly? We can all see the mixed results of politicised "privatisation", but that is hardly the "depoliticisation" of genuine private-property anarchy.

King is paid (mainly out of tax-extortions, unfortunately) to know better.

J. C. Lester
Centre for Practical Philosophy
Middlesex University