Winston Churchill, perhaps the most iconic British leader of the twentieth century, penned some of the best critiques of socialism and left-wing progressivism that still hold up to this day.
In this immortalized quote, the wartime PM targeted the welfare state directly using words that would likely never be uttered on Downing Street today:
“There is nothing the government can give you that hasn’t been taken from you in the first place.”
Of course, this sentiment applies to just about any public good you can think of — even those you might heartedly support. Britain’s National Health Service, for example, is built on the backs of taxpayer money, effectively removing purchasing power from healthier individuals to subsidize those who may share their lifestyle choices.
This can also apply to the military. In order to provide for the common defense, individuals sacrifice their own ability to take up arms against one another or against another threat, and instead pool their resources together to fund a common fighting force.
Words like this are always worth remembering whenever a politician promises a new government program will solve all of your problems.
~ Facts Not Memes
