Anyone who is not sure where the country is headed should head the words of a man who witnesses similar events unfold seventy years ago. Frederich Hayek’s famous Road to Serfdom explains the dangers of Collectivism which he saw first hand with first the Rise of Nazism and then the Socialism of England.
The book is an awesome read. But if you do not have time to read his book. I encourage you to watch the five-minute cartoon which is a slide show of a cartoon booklet GM produced in 1950 for LOOK magazine.
Mises.org has it now and it will give you chills when you watch it. If you feel we are marching down the road to serfdom but aren’t sure how far we’ve travelled thus far, watch the cartoon and you will see we are closer than most people think.
The cartoon is broken up into 18 different chapters explaining how the State grows in power and individual liberty dies. There are simple pictures of cartoons with an explanation of the scene on the bottom of the page.
Chapter eight grabbed my attention. The title of the chapter: The gullible find agreement. Next is a picture of a Hitler or Mussolini type talking in front of a massive crowd. Under it the caption is “meanwhile the growing national confusion leads to protest meetings. Does this sound familiar? Is this what Occupy Wall Street is? I believe we need to be on the look out for a “Savior” “A strong man” to appear on the stage. It’s not going to be our current president. It will be someone who appears to be an outsider but who really isn’t.
Next caption: The least educated thrilled and convinced by the fiery oratory form a party. (who will be the fiery orator to stir the masses?)
Chapter 9: Confidence in Planners Fades (We are seeing more and more of that today)
The picture is of a meeting-house with one man from the crowd declaring “Let’s get a man who can get a plan to work” (Watch for this rhetoric)
Caption reads: The more the planners “improvise” the greater the disruption to normal business. Everyone suffers. People now feel rightly that planners can’t get things done.
Chapter 10: The strong man is given power
Picture of a group of planners in suits handing over a folder (representing the reigns of power) to the Hitler or Mussolini type “strong man”
Caption reads: In desperation the planners authorize the new party leader to hammer out a plan and force its obedience.
Later they will dispense with him..or so they think.
Chapter 11: The Party takes over the Country
Picture of a meeting with the strong man on stage and the crowd giving him the nazi salute.
Caption reads: By now confusion is so great that obedience to the new leader must be obtained at all costs.
Maybe you join the party yourself to aid national unity.
Chapter 12: A negative Aim welds party unity
The picture is of a man in a suit in the foreground with his head in his hands while a mob destroys and robs his store behind him.
Caption Reads: Early step of all dictators is to inflame the majority in common cause against some scape goat minority. (99% vs the 1% sound familiar? All that is happening has happened before.)
In Germany the negative aim was Anti-Semitism.
Chapter 13: No one opposes the leader’s plan
Picture of the Strong Man on stage with a soldier behind him and in front of him a group of people giving him the Nazi salute.
Caption Reads: It would be suicide (to oppose the leader’s plan); new secret police are ruthless. (is the police presence in America growing or shrinking? The federal police presence is at an all time high. Why do you think that is?)
Caption continues: Ability to force always becomes the No. 1 virtue in the planned state. Now all Freedom Is Gone.
Chapter 14: Your profession is planned
Picture of a man with his hat in his hand and with a tattered jacket stands in front of a desk manned by a “party member”in a military uniform. He tells the man behind the desk ”but I’m not a carpenter I am a plumber”.
Caption Reads: The wider job choice promised by now defunct planners turn out to be a tragic farce. The planner never have delivered, never will be able to. (OWS group is calling for jobs. They need to be careful what they wish for)
Chapter 15: Your wages are planned
Picture of an immense line of men lining up at the “paymaster” getting their pay. One man in the foreground looks bewildered at the money in his hand.
Caption Reads: Divisions of Wage scale must be arbitrary and rigid. Running a planned state from central headquarters is clumsy, unfair, inefficient
Chapter 16: Your thinking is planned (If that doesn’t give you chills I don’t know what will!!!)
Picture of man being over powered by a loud-speaker spewing the latest news, on the wall behind him is a poster that says “The World Is Flat.” (2+2=5)
Caption Reads: In a dictatorship unintentionally created by the planners there is no room for difference of opinion. Posters, radio, press all tell you the same lies.
Chapter 17: Your Recreation is Planned
Picture of men performing calisthenics with a “party member” in military uniform breaking golf clubs in the foreground.
Caption Reads: It is no coincidence that sports and amusements have been carefully planned in all regimented nations. Once started planners can never stop.
Chapter 18: Your disciplining is planned
Picture of a man tied to a post slumped over in the foreground with a firing squad in the background.
Caption Reads: If you’re fired from your job, it’s apt to be by firing squad. (and capitalism is cruel system)
I encourage everyone to watch the cartoon and send it around. It is only a few minutes long and provides a starting view into our possible future. I can’t believe General Motors paid to have it produced. There are now using it a manual to make sure they are on the “right” side of the dictator when he rises to power.
How many times do we hear liberals pining for a “strong dictator” to “drag the stupid people” along with their enlightened plans in order to build a better society. This cartoon of six minutes explains exactly what happens when they get their way. I like the fact that “plannig” begins during wartime and is demanded in peacetime too. This is an anti-war cartoon as well. Good stuff. Check it out.
http://mises.org/resources/2402/The-Road-to-Serfdom The cartoon is the WMV Video File.
Happiness can only be obtained when we are truly free. Love can not be centrally planned!!!
Brad Miller
AdvocateofLiberty
