Neither "property" nor the value of property is a physical thing. Property is a set of defined options...It is that set of options which has economic value...It is the options, and not the physical things, which are the "property" - economically as well as legally...But because the public tends to think of property as tangible, physical things, this opens the way politically for government confiscation of property by forcibly taking away options while leaving the physical objects untouched.
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The art of the indirect approach can only be mastered, and its full scope appreciated, by study of and reflection read more
The art of the indirect approach can only be mastered, and its full scope appreciated, by study of and reflection upon the whole history of war. But we can at least crystallize the lessons into two simple maxims- one negative, the other positive. The first is that, in face of the overwhelming evidence of history, no general is justified in launching his troops to a direct attack upon an enemy firmly in position. The second, that instead of seeking to upset the enemy's equilibrium by one's attack, it must be upset before a real attack is, or can be successfully launched.
Laywers, I suppose, were children once.
Laywers, I suppose, were children once.
Beware lest in your anxiety to avoid war you obtain a master.
Beware lest in your anxiety to avoid war you obtain a master.
Socialism is Bolshevism with a shave.
Socialism is Bolshevism with a shave.
I deserve respect for the things I did not do.
I deserve respect for the things I did not do.
Property rights are not the rights of property; they are the rights of humans with regard to property. They are read more
Property rights are not the rights of property; they are the rights of humans with regard to property. They are a particular kind of human right.
Individuality is freedom lived.
Individuality is freedom lived.
Political history is largely an account of mass violence and of the expenditure of vast resources to cope with mythical read more
Political history is largely an account of mass violence and of the expenditure of vast resources to cope with mythical fears and hopes.
Under democracy, one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to read more
Under democracy, one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule -and both commonly succeed, and are right.
