Progressive societies outgrow institutions as children outgrow clothes.
Henry GeorgeRead
The protection of the masses has in all times been the pretense of tyranny - the plea of monarchy, of aristocracy, of special privilege of every kind. The slave owners justified slavery as protecting the slaves.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote critiques the justification of oppressive systems under the guise of protecting people.
Henry George highlights the hypocrisy of those in power who claim to protect the masses while actually enslaving or oppressing them. Throughout history, tyrants and privileged classes have used the guise of protection as an excuse for their domination, showing that such claims can often mask true agendas of control and exploitation.
Themes
TyrannyProtectionFreedomOppressionHypocrisy
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about government overreach, one might quote this to illustrate how power can cloak itself in the language of protection.
More from Henry George
All quotes →The march of invention has clothed mankind with powers of which a century ago the boldest imagination could not have dreamt.
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It is not the business of government to make men virtuous or religious, or to preserve the fool from the consequences of his own folly. Government should be repressive no further than is necessary to secure liberty by protecting the equal rights of each from aggression on the part of others, and the moment governmental prohibitions extend beyond this line they are in danger of defeating the very ends they are intended to serve.
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Poorly paid labor is inefficient labor, the world over.
Henry GeorgeRead
So long as all the increased wealth which modern progress brings goes but to build up great fortunes, to increase luxury and make sharper the contrast between the House of Have and the House of Want, progress is not real and cannot be permanent.
Henry GeorgeRead
Compare society to a boat. Her progress through the water will not depend upon the exertion of her crew, but upon the exertion devoted to propelling her. This will be lessened by any expenditure of force in fighting among themselves, or in pulling in different directions.
Henry GeorgeRead
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