Ronald Wintrobe Quote

“There is little to be feared from the standard picture of a totalitarian society in which 'cogs,' who are watched by Big Brother or his equivalent, carry out orders emanating from the top. Such a society would collapse in inefficiency. What is infinitely more fearsome is the capacity of a dictatorship to use the principle of competition to organize terror and murder.”

~ Ronald Wintrobe

The Political Economy of Dictatorship (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998), p. 328.

Ratings and Comments


Anonymous, Raleigh, NC

Welcome to Capitalism.

Mike, Norwalk

All forms of socialism are totalitarian societies with carnal gods (government) and cogs. Each such society eventually collapses in inefficiency  maximizing pain, suffering, violence and demise of man's nobility along the way. The current statist theocracy infesting this land has sufficiently rejected individual sovereignty, inalienable rights and liberty at nature's law that, its implementation of a most heinous theocratic socialism (organized terror, murder, theft, etc.) will sooner than later, end in a history repeating itself result.

Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown

The social system of Socialism garners opinions and perspectives from all members to best respond in the best interest of all for all social and technological circumstances. Socialism is the challenge of social abilities to create cooperation.

Mike, Norwalk
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Mike, Norwalk Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 4/8/24

Sillik, what do you mean by best? My observation of socialism's slaves self serving degeneration (opinion and perspectives) is not the best as according to nature's law.

Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown
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Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown Mike,, Norwalk 4/9/24

Mike,, Norwalk, best means most effective at sustaining life.

Mike, Norwalk
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Mike, Norwalk Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 4/9/24

Sillik  hahaha lololol Your here definition of best is extremely antithetical to socialism. Your version of socialism is a theocratic mental illness that will ultimately arrest life.

Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown
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Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown Mike,, Norwalk 4/9/24

Mike,, Norwalk, it is not my version. It is the version, and quite healthy as well as quite productive, as well as only alternative. Socialism is the challenge of social abilities to create the alternative.

E Archer, NYC
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E Archer, NYC Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 4/9/24

Fred, that is not socialism. Socialism is quite frankly one-party rule.  No dissent allowed.  Cooperation my a$$.

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