John Derbyshire Quote

“Ultimately, however, as the Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter pointed out, a powerful bureaucratic class is in the same relation to commerce as was the scorpion in Aesop to the dog on whose back he crossed the river. They will destroy commerce and establish socialism, even if it kills them, because that is their nature.”

~ John Derbyshire


Ratings and Comments


Mike, Norwalk

LOL, how true, how true ! ! ! great analogy, stated very well ! Karl Marx's "Religion is the opiate of the masses' here fits descriptively the religion of destructive socialism.

cal, lewisville, tx

The government wants us to depend solely on it. Obama care is an excellent example.

jim k, Austin, Tx

The last sentence describes liberals to a T. It's in their nature.

Mary - MI
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Mary - MI    10/11/12

Beautiful and clear statement of fact.

E Archer, NYC

(Wasn't it a frog not a dog?) Simple enough. Some computer programs will destroy the computer -- garbage in, garbage out. There are some philosophies if followed will lead to slavery and death -- the trick is to know which beliefs are the most fatal.

Mann, Kalamazoo

Jeeze, get a clue, people! Classifying all bureaucrats (cops are bureaucrats) as closet socialists is one of the most ignorant statements of supposed "reason" I've ever encountered. It's only useful purpose, as is sadly evidenced here, seems to be in providing an excuse for people lacking in adequate critical perspective, to make themselves look like politically one-sided, sycophantic fools. Good 'choice', editors. Sheesh!

Mike, Norwalk

Mann, I'm not quite sure of your point. We here haven't been in your tight idiosyncratic circle enough to understand your currently specific interlocutions or colloquy. Cops do qualify as socialistic bureaucrats (not in or out of the closet but rather, blatant in your face enforcement agents of despotism and tyranny - Police departments were first introduced into Boston, NYC, and Philadelphia just before the war between the States by influence of the Fabian Socialist movement in Europe and the Northeast States. Prior to that, Police Departments were considered standing armies to enforce a foreign power's will.) Republicans are representing a fascist bureaucracy while Democrats a communist / fascist bureaucracy. Independents are usually in between some where with few there be that exist outside the bureaucratic norm. What is ignorant about that? Out of the 500 plus legislating bureaucrats (executive, judicial, & legislative) name me 10 non-socialist bureaucrats (that fight against compelled compliance, licensing, victimless crimes. larceny of the noble laborer's fruit, payments on titled property, confiscation of wealth through inflation, alienation of rights [ownership for one], and statist control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, products, etc.) The percentage doesn't get any better the further down the road you go.

warren, olathe

So sad that this is not obvious to everyone.

J Carlton, Calgary

All bureaucrats will by the nature of their (mostly useless) jobs tend to protect their turf and convolute the simplest things in order to justify themselves. No matter who we vote in or out...the entrenched bureaucracy rules on...

Robert, Somewhere in Europe

What is obvious is the the frog/dog is the socialist and the scorpion is capitalist.... Many of the comments above have no real idea what Socialism and Liberalism truly represents. You tell a single women whose husband ran off with his secretary, leaving her with the kids and has to hold down two jobs or more just to pay the rent (slum lords are returning) and eat and is unable to get Medicaid, so relies on ER services for her and the children for their healthcare. Capitalism has ruined the small towns - Libertarians have no idea what's going on in their your own backyard! It is the capitalist's that are responsible for the degradation of common values, and for polarizing the American people into a "them and us" society.

Mike, Norwalk
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Mike, Norwalk Robert, Somewhere in Europe 10/27/23

Robert, spoken like a true socialist = lying and changing the meanings of words (Stalin, Lenin, Mao, and Hitler would have been very proud of you). That which follows is a real idea and representation of “Socialism”.

Socialism is: any of various economic and political theories or movements advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of religion, ideology, philosophy, property and the means of production and distribution of goods.

Capitalism is: an economic system where a physical specie of value becomes a medium of exchange (a weights and measure of gold, silver, etc.) allowing an individual’s freedom to invest such medium that is in excess of a personally labored expenditure for a cost of living. Capitalism does not exist in a debt system with ledgered profit and loss.

Religion is: a sacrosanct object of conscience (an ethic(s), a moral(s), a value (system) or an orientation of correctness / enlightenment) believed sufficiently conventional as to enable an attributable action. Religion is: “ real piety in practice, consisting in the performance of all known duties to ⋯ our fellow men.” (Bouviers Law Dictionary)

When theologians of despotism and tyranny mingle “socialism with religion”, the result becomes compelled compliance, government licenses, victimless crimes, larceny with impunity (second plank of the communist manifesto, funny money’s debt system {a debt that can NOT be repaid}, police State confiscations, etc.), a failed economic system, a loss of individual sovereignty, the forfeiture of liberty and a complete ignorance of nature’s law.

Atheistic / Satanic religionists fulfill the Biblical prophesy: “call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 2:20) Further, theocratic socialists will cherry pick NON-related with or relevant to capitalism stories (such as single women, slum lords, socialist fraud, children, small towns, degradation of common values, and polarizing “them and us” communal societies) to propagate a carnal god’s dogma: “A lie told often enough becomes the truth.” (Lenin) Robert, trying to accuse a theocratic socialist's results to be capitalism is exposed as a lie by secular facts, evidence and reality. By further example; the frog/dog is a capitalist expending individual freewill while the scorpion is a socialist (in the communal effort, the laborer is stung for his efforts).

Mike, Norwalk
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Mike, Norwalk Mike, Norwalk 10/28/23

oops, mistype  Isaiah 5:20

Ronw13, USA

Unadulterated economics, at Natural laws of Nature. HONEST economics. That is the balance for capitalism. but as we see Roberts stupidity and greed show forth. common values, of an immoral reprobate mindset, Are Not True Values based upon Honesty and Moral integrity of your fellow human being !

Ronw13, Oregon

Bureaucratic democratic internal hierarchy governed by the principle of democratic centralism. The sentiment of the RSDLP, bureaucrat will stoop to any low in maintaining their position in government. For those claiming to be anti-capitalist, antisemitic, anti-communist, their sentiment falls in line with the NSDAP who will also stoop to any low in order to maintain their position and power. " Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God." Politicians as will all bureaucrats who align themselves with these sentiments, are enemies of our Constitutional Republican form of government. 

empty pockets, NOLa

Indeed.  It is their nature.  Another fable demonstrating the same thuth, "you knew I was a snake when you took me in".
 Yet too many want so badly not to see the truth, to think best of others even though they keep getting burned by them over and over again.

Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown

Drug dealing and sex trafficking may be commerce, but it's not productive. With the advance of the social individual we will have responsible responses to the obstacles to our living conditions. We will be a society of responsible statesmen and stateswomen all cooperating positively for a common purpose for the goals of peace, understanding and greeting our neighbors all over the Universe. Socialism is the challenge of social abilities to create.

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