The religion of socialism will come into its own, its devotees maintain, only when the devil worship of capitalism is done in. Until that happy day the State will suffer from imperfections. FULL ARTICLE by Frank Chodorov
Source link: http://archive.mises.org/11507/the-profit-of-reform/
The Profit of Reform
Previous post: Hayek on Individualism
Next post: Rothbard on Economic Theory
{ 5 comments }
“The bureaucrats are people, not unlike the people whose direction is entrusted to their care under the law; they too are bent on getting the most out of life with the minimum of exertion, and they too adjust their thinking to the means at hand. They develop an occupational frame of mind, a bureaucratic psychology. It is sui generis, or becomes so after a period of inurement. The mind of the bureaucrat can be compared, and without invidious intent, with the criminal mind in that it takes its shape from the peculiarities of the trade. Like the criminal, the bureaucrat is removed from the disciplines of the market place, gaining his living not by production but by predation. There the similarity ends, because the trade of the bureaucrat is legalized and does not suffer from social disapproval; in fact, because the bureaucrat is presumed to be a “civil servant,” his trade acquires an aura that neither the thief nor the producer can hope for.”
What a beautiful description of bureaucrats and how and why they become what they are. Similar dynamics play out on civilian recipients of government pickings, including contracts, loans, grants, entitlements, subsidies, and other benefits, with the glaring distinction that the recipient class becomes utterly dependent upon and beholden to the bureaucratic and political class. Observed together in the same room for a short period of time, the bureaucrat and the civilian will be easily identified without name tags by their respective demeanor–haughty or grovelling–both pitiful caricatures of humanity in their own disfigured way.
A rather depressing article. It traces the rise of bureaucracy in the US over the last few centuries and leaves one (accurately) without hope. The logical end to ALL political shenanigans is complete State control. Who wants to live in such a world, I know I don’t. I’m hardly a radical, but it seems that the only outcome of the endless grab of power through Force is to use Force in return.
I believe in leaving alone and being left alone with necessary social interactions that the benefits of VOLUNTARY group dynamics bring. I already have 45% of my labor taken involuntarily and have a boatload of choices eliminated by regulation. How much more am I/we supposed to bear? And we are seeing breathtaking INCREASES being blithely discussed by our bureaucratic gentry. Is it wrong to start discussing striking down this rotten structure by Force (setting aside the brightness of doing such so openly – but the pamphlateers of any generation eventually had to tip their hand if any gain was to be made)? I not only have myself to think of, but I have young children – what sort of world did I bring them into? What obligation do I have to fight for liberty? It’s not much of a gift to give them life only to see them as worker drones of the collective for the main benefit of parasitical bureaucrats and rent seekers. As of now I feel I have more to lose than gain by striking at the Leviathan. But just barely.
Brad,
One must be careful when one fights with monsters.
Brad @ “Is it wrong to start discussing striking down this rotten structure by Force…?”
I believe it is wrong, and whether right or wrong, from a purely pragmatic viewpoint, it is, in my opinion, counterproductive to the objective of liberty.
Brad @ “I believe in leaving alone and being left alone with necessary social interactions that the benefits of VOLUNTARY group dynamics bring.”
Me too, which is why I am a voluntaryist.
This is from the Voluntaryist home page: “Statement of Purpose: Voluntaryists are advocates of non-political, non-violent strategies to achieve a free society. We reject electoral politics, in theory and in practice, as incompatible with libertarian principles. Governments must cloak their actions in an aura of moral legitimacy in order to sustain their power, and political methods invariably strengthen that legitimacy. Voluntaryists seek instead to delegitimize the State through education, and we advocate withdrawal of the cooperation and tacit consent on which State power ultimately depends.”
http://www.voluntaryist.com/
Brad, I would encourage you to visit the Voluntaryist website and learn more about voluntaryism. It may afford some answers to the challenging questions you ask. I have children and grandchildren, and I think it is because I am a voluntaryist that I am optimistic. Like you, I clearly see what’s going down, so to speak, in America and around the world today, but I am optimistic and excited because I have work to do. I am working to improve myself and in the process, hopefully, those whose lives touch mine. I see nothing but counterproductive results and utter futility in adopting the methodology of the State (force) to bring it down or attain liberty. I know of no revolution that prevailed by force that did not continue to use force to rule when the revolution was won. The use of force begets more force and corrupts all who use it, no matter how noble their intentions. I believe the nature of freedom is such that trying to acquire or advance it by force is like trying to forcibly make somebody love you. It can’t be done. As a consequence of my pursuit of voluntaryism for me and mine, I feel clean and even ecstatic, which may be so because I have to the greatest extent of which I am capable withdrawn my sanction and support of the State and rejected its subtle inducements to be a good citizen. It is not necessarily an easy road, but it certainly is a fulfilling one.
Thank you Ned, I wholeheartedly agree. Whether we resist the state or cooperate with it, either way we strengthen it. There is an effective third way, one in which I may retain some honor in this life.
Comments on this entry are closed.