I see now more clearly than ever before that even our greatest troubles spring from something that is as admirable and sound as it is dangerous-from our impatience to better the lot of our fellows. I am speaking this evening to explain the systematic cause of our present economic, fiscal […]
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Big Society quote of the day – Ayn Rand
Since it is Sunday and I am off to church, something from Ayn Rand seems excusable: The purpose of morality is to teach you, not to suffer and die, but to enjoy yourself and live. Rand detested religion of course. Me too: it tends to spoil faith.
Read MoreBig Society quote of the day – Huerta de Soto
To attempt to coordinate society through coercion is an intellectual error. — Jesús Huerta de Soto
Read MoreBig Society quote of the day – Mencken
It [the State] has taken on a vast mass of new duties and responsibilities; it has spread out its powers until they penetrate to every act of the citizen, however secret; it has begun to throw around its operations the high dignity and impeccability of a State religion; its agents […]
Read MoreBig Society quote of the day – Jose Ortega y Gasset
The first of a series: This is the gravest danger that today threatens civilization: State intervention, the absorption of all spontaneous social effort by the State; that is to say, of spontaneous historical action, which in the long-run sustains, nourishes and impels human destinies. — Jose Ortega y Gasset, 1922, […]
Read MoreThought for the day – Karl Popper on reason and critical discussion
From All Life is Problem Solving: When I speak of reason or rationalism, all I mean is the conviction that we can learn through criticism of our mistakes and errors, especially through criticism by others, and eventually also through self-criticism. A rationalist is simply someone for whom it is more […]
Read MoreThought for the day – Bastiat
From Bastiat’s dialogue What is Money? B. I have not yet made up my mind that your views upon money and political economy in general are correct. But, from your conversation, this is what I have gathered: — That these questions are of the highest importance; for peace or war, […]
Read MoreThought for the day – Churchill
Though this is from Winston Churchill’s The Second World War, Volume I : The Gathering Storm (1948), it seems relevant to the intellectual battle over economics we face today: If you will not fight for the right when you can easily win without bloodshed; if you will not fight when your victory […]
Read MoreQuote of the day – Gasset, 1922
This is the gravest danger that today threatens civilization: State intervention, the absorption of all spontaneous social effort by the State; that is to say, of spontaneous historical action, which in the long-run sustains, nourishes and impels human destinies. By Jose Ortega y Gasset, 1922, and found in Our Enemy, […]
Read MoreChurchill’s Wit
One kind Christmas gift was Churchill’s Wit: The Definitive Collection. I am particularly savouring this gem (1906): For my own part I have always felt that a politician is to be judged by the animosities which he excites among his opponents. I have always set myself not merely to relish […]
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