Over the past few years, I’ve shared a handful of images that capture the essence of government.
- Like this t-shirt that shows the proper definition of patriotism.
- And this cover of the Economist magazine.
- A Michael Moore t-shirt about capitalism getting blamed for problems caused by government.
- Or this description of the ruling class in Washington.
How about this poster showing how government operates.- Last but not least, I should have included this image when making the two-wolves-one-sheep warning about democracy in these posts about statism in Europe and the value of tax havens.
Now I have something new to add to the list – an image showing the evolution of government.
I’m not quite sure what the next-to-last image is supposed to specifically convey, but the clear message throughout is that government means coercion.
And that coercion doesn’t become legitimate merely because 51 percent of the population decides to plunder 49 percent of the population.
Which is perfectly shown by the final image, which accurately portrays today’s system of government and the IRS.
International Liberty 
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[…] in 2012, I shared a sadly amusing image about how the modern political process has degenerated into two wolves and a sheep voting what to […]
[…] the quote didn’t originate with someone like Franklin. What does matter is that it accurately captures something very important, which is the tendency for governments to over-tax and over-spend once people decide that it’s […]
[…] the quote didn’t originate with someone like Franklin. What does matter is that it accurately captures something very important, which is the tendency for governments to over-tax and over-spend once people decide that it’s […]
[…] the quote didn’t originate with someone like Franklin. What does matter is that it accurately captures something very important, which is the tendency for governments to over-tax and over-spend once people decide that […]
[…] And here’s one that I’ve shared before. […]
[…] And here’s one that I’ve shared before. […]
[…] in 2012, I shared a sadly amusing image about how the modern political process has degenerated into two wolves and a sheep voting what to […]
[…] year, I showed an image of evolutionary stages that was so accurate that it would earn approval even from many strict […]
[…] year, I showed an image of evolutionary stages that was so accurate that it would earn approval even from many strict […]
[…] https://danieljmitchell.wordpress.com/2012/12/29/a-description-of-evolution-in-which-even-creationist… […]
I’m curious now: Which form of dictatorship do you prefer to replace our government?
If the mentality that leads to prosperity in a fast evolving world (the last two hundred years or so) were that instinctive, then things would be easy. Prosperity would be widespread and not that concentrated in selfish America. But the mentality of modern prosperity requires that humans go against some deeply entrenched personal biological and cultural behavior. Behavior that was beneficial in an older static world (99.98% of humanity’s existence) but has become a detrimental impediment to modern fast growth.
That is why the mentality of prosperity is so rare and so easily overthrown by majoritarian rule. That is why when five Commodo dragons and a gazelle vote on what to have for lunch, the outcome is predictable. Transferred to humans, that is why the mentality of one to two percent growth rates compounding into decline has been so common in the world, and why America is falling for the same model.
In the end, if the electorates of western democracies insist in the flatter welfare state work incentives of one to two percent growth, then other regimes will unfortunately gain an advantage in Darwinian cultural evolution. I am optimistic though that enough democracies will emerge and spring forward in the natural selection, by refraining from getting caught up in the politics of class warfare and mandatory collectivism. But I doubt that the US will be in that club. The pendulum in the US is still swinging in the opposite direction, the direction of more mandatory collectivism — the direction of copying Europe. Any corrective action is still out of the question and a long way off. There is still a long way down to go before America hits bottom under the HopNChange that is so prevalent in the rest of the world. It is actually more and more likely that upcoming crises will prompt American voters to make even worse choices.
To the dismay of US patriots, the modern pioneers of freedom and high growth lie probably elsewhere. As is often the case, it will be a surprise where success eventually comes from.
So… Once again, teach your children to have an international outlook, capable of being economic mercenaries that can work from anywhere for any one electorate that will let them keep the fruits of their labor. Even with international cartels on the rise, the benefits of breaking free will eventually outweigh the risk and costs of retaliation. One way or another, human cultural natural selection will move forward. It is only a question of how many statist victims and voter lemming electorates it will claim.
TIME TO MOVE…..
The second to last image is the beginning of the parilmentary system. The old monarchies were technically still operating but had effectively lost power. The govt offices were given to people with “noble” blood instead of competent people. During that time the British court system was rigged to fleece commoners to benefit the appointed cronies.