| *60The power of the Crown, almost dead and rotten as Prerogative, has grown up anew, with much more strength, and far less odium, under the name of *61Influence. An influence, which operated without noise and without violence; an influence, which converted the very antagonist, into the instrument, of power; which contained in itself a perpetual principle of growth and renovation; and which the distresses and the prosperity of the country equally tended to augment, was an admirable substitute for a Prerogative, that, being only the offspring of antiquated prejudices, had *62moulded in its original stamina irresistible principles of decay and dissolution. The ignorance of the people is a bottom but for a temporary system; the interest of active men in the State is a foundation perpetual and infallible. However, some circumstances, arising, it must be confessed, in a great degree from accident, prevented the effects of this influence for a long time from breaking out in a manner capable of exciting any serious apprehensions. Although Government was strong and flourished exceedingly, *63the Court had drawn far less advantage than one would imagine from this great source of power.Edmund Burke, Thoughts On the Present Discontents, 1784
Liberty Letters hopes the lesson is obvious: don’t suppose that a politician, political party, or partisan political movement is up to no good (including the one that you may be involved with) simply because none of the historical words that spell tyranny are in vogue. The word “socialism” is a clear example. It is a bad word, with a bad reputation; and so it is rarely used, and always changing names and faces. Thus we have socialism, communism, fascism, fabianism, democratic socialism, liberation theology, the third way, compassionate conservatism, corporatism, planned economies, state-monopoly capitalism, futurism, the welfare state, internationalism, the regulatory state, and so forth. They all mean the same thing in the great fundamentals, and there are so many other labels that can be used, are used, and will be used. Burke’s lesson is fundamental, and speaks of a re-occurring motif in history. That is why we must look at the principles involved, to the fine print, and think – not look to the labels, not get caught up in blind partisanship, and in personality worship.
Forced redistribution of the wealth, intrusive regulation of private property and industry, denial of freedom of religion in any setting, regulation of the press, controls over private associations, graduated income taxes, centralized control over education, huge property confiscations by the state, the creations of national banks in private hands with an exclusive monopoly, etc., are all fundamentally the same, but will rarely be mentioned in the flashing lights of their packaging that they are steps toward tyranny, or indeed, already tyrannical. |
It is very rare indeed for men to be wrong in their feelings concerning public misconduct; as rare to be right in their speculation upon the cause of it. I have constantly observed, that the 
