Snippet from Planned Chaos

Here's an excellent description that captures the essence of government much more clearly than than Paine's eloquent line:

"Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one."

Perhaps because it speaks so simply, Planned Chaos by Ludwig Von Mises, Chapter 6: The Liberation of Demons (Page 63)

State and government are nothing else than the social apparatus of violent coercion and repression. Such an apparatus, the police power, is indispensable in order to prevent antisocial individuals and bands from destroying social cooperation. Violent prevention and suppression of antisocial activities benefit the whole of society and each of its members. But violence and oppression are nonetheless evils and corrupt those in charge of their application. It is necessary to restrict the power of those in office lest they become absolute despots. Society cannot exist without an apparatus of violence coercion. But neither can it exist if the office holders are irresponsible tyrants free to inflict harm upon those they dislike.

And by antisocial he doesn't mean what is covered by the ASBOs