Why ideologies usually need big government

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The essential character of an ideology is that it is a revolt against reality. For instance, in reality, people wish to have control over the things they create with their labor, and thus private property is a natural part of human existence. But the communist is upset by this and wishes reality were different than it is. He declares that private property it is actually unnatural and a form of theft.

But it is hard to get people to turn against nature. Simply asking everyone to give up their private property won't work: what is needed is the availability of force, and lots of it, to punish those who will not buy into the ideologue's distortion of reality.

The reader might provide more examples for his/her self.

Comments

  1. Prateek12:38 PM

    Have you also noticed that ever since classical liberalism and free markets were conceived as an idea, governments have kept growing bigger and bigger?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. gcallah2:01 AM

      Good point, Prateek. And the are good arguments as to why liberalism and big government go hand in hand.

      Delete

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