The Delusional Idea That Has the World in Its Grip

“This idea is that we can achieve a perfect world through the government. While this idea has had many names—liberalism, progressivism, collectivism, communitarianism, socialism—Cleveland argues the real name for each of these movements is utopianism.”

Discussion

Ronald Reagan on government:


“Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.”

“Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”

“The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”

“Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.”

“Government’s first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.”

“Man is not free unless government is limited.”

“The problem is not that people are taxed too little, the problem is that government spends too much.”

“Governments tend not to solve problems, only to rearrange them.”

“Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”

[Taken from various sources.]

The notion that a man’s morals and abilities are perfected by the fact that he receives a paycheck from the government. See also “nonsense”.

Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.

The one in the article: [amazon:0972740139:thumbnail]

And I can’t resist the opportunity to also plug a favorite of mine. What Thomas Sowell calls the “unconstrained vision” is essentially utopianism.

[amazon:0465002056:thumbnail]

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.