Broken world Quote by David Horowitz
““In my own passage out of the left nearly 20 years ago, it occurred to me that my revolutionary comrades never addressed to themselves what should be the obvious questions for social reformers: “What makes a society work?” “What will make this society work?” In all the socialist literature I had read, there was hardly a chapter devoted to the creation of wealth, the problem of getting people to work or to behave in a civilized manner. Socialist theory was exclusively addressed to the conquest of power and the division of wealth that someone else had created. Was it any surprise that socialist societies had broken world records in making their inhabitants poor?””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on Social Reform, 1990s
The quote argues that socialist theory neglects practical questions of how societies function and generate wealth, focusing instead on power and redistribution, leading to poverty.
In simple terms: Socialist ideas ignore how to make societies work and create wealth, causing poverty.
Key Takeaway
Address practical economic mechanisms in reform.
Themes
socialism
economics
wealth creation
political theory
poverty
Mood
critical
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- policy design
- development projects
- education reform
- community building
Key Concepts
economic incentives
social contract
human behavior
civilization
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance power with and economic incentives?
- What practical steps ensure wealth creation in any system?
A Different Perspective
It overlooks historical examples where socialist policies improved welfare.
