“The useful collective term “we” has enabled an ideological camouflage to be thrown over the reality of political life.”
– Murray Rothbard
Written by Bryan Lutz, Editor at Dollarcollapse.com:
The great error in our democracies is believing that once we have the power, we’ll be the right person to use it.
It’s an all too human error.
Unfortunately, no one ever asks the all too important question…
Who the heck is “we”?
Sometimes, in a kind of ironically tyrannical way, a person means themselves. Sometimes, a person means a political party. And sometimes, a person means some identity like LGBT, Black, White, or otherwise…
But for the most part, in recent democracies, “we” has meant, “we the people,” while a single person gets voted in to make choices for us over 2000 miles away.
But why not?
After all, there should be nothing wrong when “our voice” is heard through a representative of a social cause…
When the political party representing our values forces other people to live them too…
And when a well-meaning person on stage claps for themselves, the crowd, and whatever rousing declarations they just made.
It is in those acts of government, which individuals invite coercion over voluntary action, and theft over private property.
Rothbard writes in his book, The Anatomy of the State:
“With the rise of democracy, the identification of the State with society has been redoubled, until it is common to hear sentiments expressed which violate virtually every tenet of reason and common sense such as, “we are the government.”
The useful collective term “we” has enabled an ideological camouflage to be thrown over the reality of political life.
If “we are the government,” then anything a government does to an individual is not only just and untyrannical but also “voluntary” on the part of the individual concerned.
If the government has incurred a huge public debt which must be paid by taxing one group for the benefit of another, this reality of burden is obscured by saying that “we owe it to ourselves.”
Yes, under that reasoning “we owe taxes to ourselves…”
We chose inflation.
We chose the Federal Reserve banking system in 1913.
We chose the slow, planned destruction of free-market banking after the Civil War.
We chose to fight for Hamilton’s idea of an America with a bigger, fatter Federal government.
And the list goes on…
But the underlying trojan force here is this:
“We” chose a path, and a government must be established to plan that path. Then committees are formed. Staff are hired. All for the purpose of essential planning.
Some of the most recent examples come in the form of 15-minute cities, green initiative attacks on farmers, and the European Union’s 2030 agenda.
In the Epoch Times, Economist Daniel Lacalle writes:
The 2030 Agenda: The Totalitarian Trojan Horse
“The most interventionist politicians are really attacking the 2030 Agenda because, despite their pre-tenses to the contrary, their policies invariably have the opposite effect of what they seem to support. The socialists in all parties have taken over the 2030 Agenda, which does not advance industry, growth, equality, or the fight against poverty or hunger.
This exploitation of the 2030 Agenda’s objectives is exactly like the Trojan Horse that conceals people who will destroy the city beneath the guise of an impressive and lovely gift…
Centralized planning does not work. It was never successful. However, there are always those who believe that if they put it into practice, it will work because they do not have to pay for the repercussions.
What is the ruse behind this latest attack on liberty?”
Plans like the EU’s 2030 Agenda are not just Trojan Horses, it is evidence of the Trojan Force behind the curtain that is even more powerful and forgotten…
The deceitful power of “we” that violates an individual’s ability to take voluntary action, and possess private property.
At the ground level of economic production, you can see the results of policy shifts to meet 2030 climate goals on the farm.
“The number of farms in the European Union has drastically decreased in recent years. According to Eurostat, there were 9.1 million farms in 2020, a projected 37 percent decrease, or roughly 5.3 million fewer than in 2005. This trend has only worsened since 2020.”
The reason behind the decrease in number of farms is the increase in fuel costs (and other chemical restrictions). Since climate goals have been implemented, gas and electricity costs have doubled, forcing farmers out of business.
Not only, is there less food being produced as a result of green central planning initiatives, food costs are going up.
If it costs more for farmers to produce, they have to increase their costs.
And that’s resulting in…
The Wall Street Journal reports:
It’s Been 30 Years Since Food Ate Up This Much of Your Income
“In 1991, U.S. consumers spent 11.4% of their disposable personal income on food, according to data from the U.S. Agriculture Department. At the time, households were still dealing with steep food-price increases following an inflationary period during the 1970s.
More than three decades later, food spending has reattained that level, USDA data shows. In 2022, consumers spent 11.3% of their disposable income on food, according to the most recent USDA data available.”
Sure, inflation numbers, supply chain issues, and interest rates are all important but…
When you look at everything from a step back, “we” see trojan forces hard at work.
