The Welfare State and the Promise of Protection

another interesting article i stumbled across....

The Welfare State and the Promise of Protection - Robert Higgs - Mises Institute

"Fifty years ago Bertrand de Jouvenel wrote, "The essential psychological characteristic of our age is the predominance of fear over self-confidence.â?¦ Everyone of every class tries to rest his individual existence on the bosom of the state and tends to regard the state as the universal provider. " But this protection costs the public far more than the high taxes that fund its provision: "if the state is to guarantee to a man what the consequences of his actions shall be, it must take control of his activities â?¦ to keep him out of the way of risks."[28]

In the interval since Jouvenel was writing, the demand for government protection has risen to new heights and the corresponding loss of individual liberties has proceeded apace. If we are to regain our liberties, we must reassert our responsibilities for ourselves, accepting the consequences of our own actions without appealing to the government for salvation."

trying to provoke some minds.....


-shake