A claim for equality of material position can be met only by a government with totalitarian powers.
Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Hayek asserts that achieving material equality requires a government with totalitarian powers. He links equality of position directly to state overreach.
- In plain terms
- Making everyone materially equal requires a government with total control.
- What can you take from it?
- Material equality often comes at the cost of personal freedom.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is equality worth total state control?
- How much power should government have?
Another view
Some argue limited state intervention can reduce inequality without totalitarianism.
More from Friedrich Hayek
Nobody with open eyes can any longer doubt that the danger to personal freedom comes chiefly from the left.
Permalink to quote #129 A policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.
Permalink to quote #131 There exists no third principle for the organisation of the economics process which can be rationally chosen to achieve any desirable ends, in addition to eith…
Permalink to quote #128
Related quotes
Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness.
George WashingtonGeorge Washington quote #1 During the last 100 years, the House of Lords has never contributed one iota to popular liberties or popular freedom, or done anything to advance the common we…
Joseph ChamberlainJoseph Chamberlain quote #1 I may say this is a deluded generation, veiled with ignorance, that tho popery and slavery be riding in upon them, do not perceive it; tho I am sure there was …
Richard RumboldRichard Rumbold quote #1