By Robert Higgs
"It is no secret that I hate the state, but today I am especially disgusted by the paternalism the modern state gratuitously dishes out in a thousand and one forms. It is true, of course, that the general run of mankind (in which I count myself) often acts in imprudent or even self-destructive ways. But the idea that people such as Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, and Elizabeth Warren -- persons who, thanks be to God, I have never had the misfortune to encounter in person -- know better than I how I should conduct my life, and are entitled to force their superior knowledge on me by threats of violence, is so egregiously incompatible with anything intelligent or humane that one can only shake one's head that these overbearing nincompoops should go to such arrogant lengths to do so. It only adds insult to injury that their schemes for coercively improving my life are transparently idiotic.
It is tragic when state functionaries unjustly beat, imprison, and kill us, but at least in these cases they do not pretend to be acting in our interest. Where, one wonders, do these insufferable overlords and overladies get the idea that they are our divinely anointed nannies?"
Read what Stalin said:
On one occasion, so it was narrated, Stalin called for a live chicken and proceeded to use it to make an unforgettable point before some of his henchmen.
Forcefully clutching the chicken in one hand, with the other he began to systematically pluck out its feathers. As the chicken struggled in vain to escape, he continued with the painful denuding until the bird was completely stripped.
“Now you watch,” Stalin said as he placed the chicken on the floor and walked away with some bread crumbs in his hand. Incredibly, the fear-crazed chicken hobbled toward him and clung to the legs of his trousers.
Stalin threw a handful of grain to the bird, and it began to follow him around the room, he turned to his dumbfounded colleagues and said quietly, “This is the way to rule the people. Did you see how that chicken followed me for food, even though I had caused it such torture?
People are like that chicken. If you inflict inordinate pain on them they will follow you for food the rest of their lives.
On one occasion, so it was narrated, Stalin called for a live chicken and proceeded to use it to make an unforgettable point before some of his henchmen.
Forcefully clutching the chicken in one hand, with the other he began to systematically pluck out its feathers. As the chicken struggled in vain to escape, he continued with the painful denuding until the bird was completely stripped.
“Now you watch,” Stalin said as he placed the chicken on the floor and walked away with some bread crumbs in his hand. Incredibly, the fear-crazed chicken hobbled toward him and clung to the legs of his trousers.
Stalin threw a handful of grain to the bird, and it began to follow him around the room, he turned to his dumbfounded colleagues and said quietly, “This is the way to rule the people. Did you see how that chicken followed me for food, even though I had caused it such torture?
People are like that chicken. If you inflict inordinate pain on them they will follow you for food the rest of their lives.
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