“This is the gravest danger that today threatens civilization: State intervention, the absorption of all spontaneous social effort by the State; that is to say, of spontaneous historical action, which in the long-run sustains, nourishes and impels human destinies.”

I don't know if its the gravest danger, but it does loom ominous here. The national establishment of religion (Secularism) is alive, well, and doing the job its Supreme Court legisltors intended.

He forgot to mention the heavy-handed imposition of values, the insidious monitoring of ideas and expressions, the procrustean insistence on remaining within the limits of state-approved actions and adhering to state-mandated behaviors, which is totalitarianism in the world outside of the United States. Stand on a corner in Washington, DC and call for Bush to be impeached; no one will bother you, unless you get mugged for your wallet. Do the same in Cuba, calling for Castro to be ousted, and you WILL go to prison for several or 20 years. Prison in Cuba is a dangerous, dark, dank, dirty, and bleak place, where if you, as a political prisoner, survive for more than a couple of years, you are a tough guy.

Men create hell on Earth for the unbelievers -- whether for secular or religious reasons -- but always to control behavior and to 'prove' the point that their way is THE way. Choose it or go to hell -- and in case you don't believe it, we've made hell ourselves just for you (and those who take pleasure from oppressing others).

Maybe it was true in 1920's Spain, but it is not true now. The greatest danger to civilization today is a weak, politically correct response to nihilistic Islamic Fascists.

Considering when it was written, five stars... Today, State intervention is surreptitious and promulgated by the crafts of Edward Bernays, and now his protege, Madison Av.
The effects of which do apply to those on this blog....

David, well stated. These pin heads who think Castro is just dandy need to read this. Never mind, they wouldn't believe it anyway.