It is precisely those things which belong to "the people" which have historically been despoiled- wild creatures, the air, and waterways being notable examples. This goes to the heart of why property rights are socially important in the first place. Property rights mean self-interested monitors. No owned creatures are in danger of extinction. No owned forests are in danger of being leveled. No one kills the goose that lays the golden egg when it is his goose.
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Democracy is the art of running the circus from the monkey cage.
Democracy is the art of running the circus from the monkey cage.
Rousseau had it backwards. We are NOT born free. We are born in the chains of the random and the read more
Rousseau had it backwards. We are NOT born free. We are born in the chains of the random and the reflexive, and are ignorant and unreasonable by simple nature. We must learn to be free, to organize the random and detect the reflexive, to acquire the knowledge of particulars and the powers of reason. The examined life is impossible if we cannot examine, order, classify, define, distinguish, always in minute particulars.
Discontent does not invariably create a desire for change. Other factors have to be present before discontent turns into disaffection. read more
Discontent does not invariably create a desire for change. Other factors have to be present before discontent turns into disaffection. One of these is a sense of power.
It is not conclusive proof of a doctrine's correctness that its adversaries use the police, the hangman, and violent mobs read more
It is not conclusive proof of a doctrine's correctness that its adversaries use the police, the hangman, and violent mobs to fight it. But it is a proof of the fact that those taking recourse to violent oppression are in their subconsciousness convinced of the untenability of their own doctrines.
This is, I say, the time for all good men not to go to the aid of their party, but read more
This is, I say, the time for all good men not to go to the aid of their party, but to come to the aid of their country.
Why do grandparents and grandchildren get along so well? They have the same enemy -- the mother.
Why do grandparents and grandchildren get along so well? They have the same enemy -- the mother.
The greater the difficulty, the greater the glory.
The greater the difficulty, the greater the glory.
If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve. - On the request that he accept the read more
If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve. - On the request that he accept the Republican presidential nomination.
Hell hath no fury like a bureaucrat scorned.
Hell hath no fury like a bureaucrat scorned.
