Affected Quote by Christopher Hitchens
“There is a reason for the affected profession of " anarchist sympathies" among Tories and grandees, and of " libertarian principles" by Hobbesian yahoos of the right. Among the former, one sees the upholding of the view that a gentleman's business and property are his own, and none of the government's. Among the latter, a distaste for democracy, for taxation, and for the need to consult others about the planet.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Paradox of Anarchist Sympathies” by Christopher Hitchens, 2005
The quote contrasts two political attitudes: Tories who protect private property from government, and libertarians who reject democratic involvement and taxation, both driven by self‑interest and distrust of collective decision‑making.
In simple terms: It points out that both groups share a desire for personal control and a dislike of government interference.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how personal liberty can blind us to communal responsibilities.
Themes
politics
individualism
government
libertarianism
conservatism
Mood
skeptical
analytical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- political campaigns
- public discourse
- citizen activism
Key Concepts
property rights
taxation
democracy
social contract
Questions to Reflect On
- How does personal liberty balance with societal obligations?
- What are the risks of rejecting democratic processes?
A Different Perspective
These views may overlook the benefits of collective action and shared resources.
![“Take a very striking case in point: the Russian Bolsheviks. [Vladimir] Lenin created an alleged workers' party, which in every way reflected the Czarist machine, in order to deal with Czarism. And the danger and the hazards of trying to accommodate libertarian principles to the political process…” quote by Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/979/murray-bookchin-2587_accommodate_take-a-very-striking-case-in-point-the-r_1340784.jpg)
![“It's [Los Angeles] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them aren't even young and beautiful now.” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a86/christopher-hitchens-117_beautiful_it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense_10462.jpg)
![“[Religion] attacks us in our deepest integrity - the core of our self-respect. Religion says that we would not know right from wrong, we would not know an evil, wicked act from a decent human act without divine permission, without divine authority or without, even worse, either the fear of a…” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ab6/christopher-hitchens-117_action_religion-attacks-us-in-our-deepest-integ_23299.jpg)
