Dictators Love Secrecy
Which set of rogues to trust with our safety? The unknown demonised suspect terrorists, or the known corrupt self serving government? Shall I toss a coin?
Category Archives: Authoritarianism
The Distraction From Freedom
Lovers of freedom might forget the levers of power are the problem, not the solution. Rather than raising their voice against the levers, they grab for them, to use them to prevent other people using them.
The Coming Clash – Capital vs. Labour
With the current direction of travel it seems likely that before long there will be a clash between capital and labour that could either be devastating to freedom, or to set it off for another stretch with a more secure footing.
The Story Of Your Enslavement
“If human beings believe that they are free, then they will produce much more for their farmers. The best way to maintain this illusion of freedom is to put some of the livestock on the payroll of the farmer. Those cows that become dependent on the existing hierarchy will then attack any other cows who point out the violence, hypocrisy and immorality of human ownership.”
Gutless Rebellion
It could have promised so much, but delivered so little. The potential rebellion of about 80 back bench Tory MPs over the renewal of the Coronavirus Act became nothing at all. Is this a case of weak MPs being unwilling to really take a stand when they can make a token gesture and then hide behind the cabinet and sit tight?
Against Arbitrary Application of the Law
Since resources can’t possibly pull up everyone, but still might pull up anyone, the ‘rules’ can be tantamount to a mechanism for arbitrary arrest.
Against More Top Down Policing
The problem with simply increasing police numbers is that it assumes a purely state-down approach, disconnects police function from their source of authority (the individual), and can become easily politicised and directed away from the real job of tackling actual rights violations such as violent crime and theft.
Forced Labour In Venezuela
Venezuelan socialism, once praised by Corbyn and Abbott, now turns to forced labour for food production. Why does socialism always fail so spectacularly? Two main reasons I will mention here: 1) It centralises too much power in the hands of a few who are either
Britbox And The TV Tax
It’s not a public service, but a business, in competition with other business, and as such has no place getting unfair advantage in the market through state guaranteed funding by law and charter.
BBC To Send ‘Outreach Officers’ To Remind Elderly To Pay TV Tax
The kind and generous BBC will be sending their TV Tax Inspectors round… I mean their ‘outreach officers’, to make sure granny has paid for her license now it’s not free. I’m still amazed that such a license requirement exists. It’s an archaic funding model