“There is no art which one government sooner learns of another, than that of draining money from the pockets of the people.”
– The Wisdom of Adam Smith, page 194.
|
|||||
Samizdata quote of the day“There is no art which one government sooner learns of another, than that of draining money from the pockets of the people.” – The Wisdom of Adam Smith, page 194. 3 comments to Samizdata quote of the day |
|||||
![]()
All content on this website (including text, photographs, audio files, and any other original works), unless otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons License. |
Of course, reading Bastiat’s The Law first makes the reasons why this is true, so very clear.
When we read about “stimulus” payments, one is struck by the realization that what is occurring is essentially a return to taxpayers of monies paid in. But, of course that “money” was spent and used within the “bureaus,” so it is a transfer of the prior taxation to a subsequent period (and later payors).
Now ! That’s really stimulating !!!
How quaint of Adam Smith! Governments don’t need to LEARN this- they know it by morphic resonance! Or contagious memes!