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Civilization.

At best, government and civilization is a chicken-and-egg relationship, where you could perhaps argue that anywhere civilization occurs, a government does as well. I doubt that's even provably true anyway.

But the idea that a government first forms and then bestows upon us the gift of civilization would be incorrect. I suppose you're being flippant since you didn't bother to justify that comment.

> that anywhere civilization occurs, a government does as well

This is because beyond a certain amount of complexity (e.g. on the path to civilization), you better have a government what orchestrates favorable outcomes.

One way to frame it might be a chicken/egg problem, as you say, but that just begs the question whether one can meaningfully exist without the other?

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