There are groups of human beings who survive by waiting for productive human beings--farmers, manufacturers, traders, etc.--to gather enough surplus wealth and food. Then they raid them, and steal the wealth by armed force. This pattern is common across all cultures and nations, and throughout history. Vikings, Huns, Mongols, or in the movie "A Bug's Life," grasshoppers. If "barbarian" isn't accurate, what would be? Just the simple "looter" doesn't quite work, since it also applies to those carrion-eaters who sneak around after the carnage and pick up what's left over after the armed attackers leave.

Any suggestions?

My opinion, of course, is that this looting process has been sanitized and legitimized in the welfare state (in many countries) so that it is not only not recognized as looting any more, but is actually praised as a moral activity. Almost two thirds of the Federal Budget is straight wealth redistribution.

The concept of issuing alms from the national treasury was totally unknown in America at the time of the Founding Fathers, and even later, or maybe they would have put some defenses in the Constitution.

The spears, horses and longships are gone, the recipients of the loot are meek and unassuming, and the threat of force is only implied (try to avoid paying taxes and see what happens.) Still, the results are the same.

Reminds me of the old "Star Trek" episode where wars were fought on computers, and "victims" reported to suicide chambers. Very neat, very organized. But still a war.