--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Citizens of liberal welfare states become…" description: "\"Citizens of liberal welfare states become increasingly narcissistic. The great preoccupations of vast numbers of Brits, Frenchmen, Germans and other W..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18b/dennis-prager-631_brits_citizens-of-liberal-welfare-states-becom_155185.jpg" --- # Citizens of liberal welfare states become increasingly… ![“Citizens of liberal welfare states become increasingly narcissistic. The great preoccupations of vast numbers of Brits, Frenchmen, Germans and other Western Europeans are how much vacation time they will have an how early they can retire and be supported by the state.” quote by Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18b/dennis-prager-631_brits_citizens-of-liberal-welfare-states-becom_155185.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18b/dennis-prager-631_brits_citizens-of-liberal-welfare-states-becom_155185.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18b/dennis-prager-631_brits_citizens-of-liberal-welfare-states-becom_155185.jpg) > “Citizens of liberal welfare states become increasingly narcissistic. The great preoccupations of vast numbers of Brits, Frenchmen, Germans and other Western Europeans are how much vacation time they will have an how early they can retire and be supported by the state.” [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that welfare states foster self‑absorption, with citizens focusing on personal benefits like vacation and early retirement. **In simple terms:** Welfare can breed selfishness. Key Takeaway Beware of entitlement culture. Themes welfare state individualism narcissism social policy European societies Mood critical concerned Type political analytical When to use this quote - policy debates - social research - public discourse Key Concepts public economics psychology of entitlement cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - What policies can promote collective responsibility? - How does culture shape attitudes toward welfare? A Different Perspective Not all citizens become narcissistic; many remain community‑oriented. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brits/) [Frenchmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frenchmen/) [Vacation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacation/) [Vacation time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacation-time/) [Welfare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare/) [Welfare state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare-state/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) ## Related quotes > [Citizens of liberal welfare states become increasingly narcissistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/citizens-of-liberal-welfare-states-become-increasingly-narcissistic-2/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Nothing more guarantees the erosion of character than getting something for nothing. In the liberal welfare state, one develops an entitlement mentality. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/nothing-more-guarantees-the-erosion-of-character-than-getting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [The bigger the government, the less the citizens do for one another. If the state will take care of me and my neighbors, why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-bigger-the-government-the-less-the-citizens-do-for-one-another-if/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Slavery didn't break up the black families as much as liberal welfare rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/slavery-didn-t-break-up-the-black-families-as-much-as-liberal-welfare/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [Slavery didnt break up the black families as much as liberal welfare rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/slavery-didnt-break-up-the-black-families-as-much-as-liberal-welfare/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [The greatest danger to the liberal vision are facts about the consequences of liberalism itself and the laws, policies, and ways of life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-greatest-danger-to-the-liberal-vision-are-facts-about-the/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“Even at their height, the Scandinavian welfare states left the economy to the private sector—which was then taxed at very high rates to pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/even-at-their-height-the-scandinavian-welfare-states-left-the-economy/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [By common consent, most European countries support the maintenance of robust welfare states and are comfortable with taxation systems that support them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/by-common-consent-most-european-countries-support-the-maintenance-of/) [Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/) > [If we assume the best in people, we can radically redesign our democracy and welfare states.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/if-we-assume-the-best-in-people-we-can-radically-redesign-our/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“the welfare states of western Europe were not politically divisive. They were socially re-distributive in general intent (some more than others) but not at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/the-welfare-states-of-western-europe-were-not-politically-divisive/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [Fiscally, I'm very conservative. I don't believe in welfare states. I believe in giving people jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-simmons/fiscally-i-m-very-conservative-i-don-t-believe-in-welfare-states-i/) [Gene Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-simmons/) > [“Ironically, opponents of basic income on the grounds that it would lead to a dismantling of the welfare state tend to support some variant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-standing/ironically-opponents-of-basic-income-on-the-grounds-that-it-would/) [Guy Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-standing/) > [Socialism is a fundamentally different social system where the world's resources are not controlled by a greedy, undemocratic oligarchy. This is not the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kshama-sawant/socialism-is-a-fundamentally-different-social-system-where-the-world/) [Kshama Sawant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kshama-sawant/) > [“The welfare states of continental Europe—what the French call the Etat providence, or providential state—followed yet a third model. Here, the emphasis was primarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/the-welfare-states-of-continental-europe-what-the-french-call-the/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [ “\[A\] central theme is why social, political, and economic institutions tend to coevolve in a manner that reinforces rather than undermines one another. The… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torben-iversen/a-central-theme-is-why-social-political-and-economic-institutions/) Torben Iversen ## More by Dennis Prager > [It is extremely difficult to do anything constructive, let alone deep, on daily commercial television, especially on a talk show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/it-is-extremely-difficult-to-do-anything-constructive-let-alone-deep/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Nothing more guarantees the erosion of character than getting something for nothing. In the liberal welfare state, one develops an entitlement mentality. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/nothing-more-guarantees-the-erosion-of-character-than-getting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [The biggest battle in life is with yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-biggest-battle-in-life-is-with-yourself/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [The Left will destroy what is good to try to make what is perfect. That is the motto of the Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-left-will-destroy-what-is-good-to-try-to-make-what-is-perfect/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [“The poor who commit murder, rape and robbery are not only not starving, they have far more material things than the word ‘poverty’ suggests.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-poor-who-commit-murder-rape-and-robbery-are-not-only-not-starving/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [“When it comes to fighting evil, the left is almost pacifist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/when-it-comes-to-fighting-evil-the-left-is-almost-pacifist/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [When you are guaranteed you will win, you can take very inflammatory, very extreme positions. If you have to run in a district where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/when-you-are-guaranteed-you-will-win-you-can-take-very-inflammatory/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [America, not Keith Ellison, decides what book a congressman takes his oath on,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/america-not-keith-ellison-decides-what-book-a-congressman-takes-his/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [ If they \[liberals\] didn't believe we were mean spirited they couldn't stay liberal. They have to believe they mean better than us, but we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/if-they-liberals-didn-t-believe-we-were-mean-spirited-they-couldn-t/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [“From Marx until today, victim groups have played an indispensable role in Leftist success. Without victim groups, the Left cannot succeed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/from-marx-until-today-victim-groups-have-played-an-indispensable-role/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Good and happy people who believe in God are the greatest living arguments for God's existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/good-and-happy-people-who-believe-in-god-are-the-greatest-living/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Leftism and narcissism are almost synonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/leftism-and-narcissism-are-almost-synonymous/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Humility is a fantastic trait and is one of the most important things we can have](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/humility-is-a-fantastic-trait-and-is-one-of-the-most-important-things/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [There is no limit to suffering human beings have been willing to inflict on others, no matter how innocent, no matter how young, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/there-is-no-limit-to-suffering-human-beings-have-been-willing-to/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) [Explore all 437 Dennis Prager quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) ## More Brits quotes > [We Brits are law abiding folk. We pride ourselves on our natural tendency to form an orderly queue rather than a scrum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-boles/we-brits-are-law-abiding-folk-we-pride-ourselves-on-our-natural/) [Nick Boles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-boles/) > [I think of myself as being a bit of a wimp deep down - a bourgeois wimp - and I'm fighting that. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/i-think-of-myself-as-being-a-bit-of-a-wimp-deep-down-a-bourgeois-wimp/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [Brexit has really broken a taboo. The Brits have shown us that you can leave the European Union, and you can come out better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/brexit-has-really-broken-a-taboo-the-brits-have-shown-us-that-you-can/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [Democrats all claim they'll get rough with the terrorists, but they can't even face Brit Hume.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/democrats-all-claim-they-ll-get-rough-with-the-terrorists-but-they/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [I'm friends with a lot of Brits, and they tell me when they're over here what a huge phenomenon 'The Wire' has become. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ransone/i-m-friends-with-a-lot-of-brits-and-they-tell-me-when-they-re-over/) [James Ransone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ransone/) > [I'm part of an industry that everybody wants to be a part of. I do hang out with a lot of sort of powerful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-roy/i-m-part-of-an-industry-that-everybody-wants-to-be-a-part-of-i-do/) [Duncan Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-roy/) > [I think Brits probably feel that Americans are more like us than vice-versa, if that makes sense. Because we get everything American over here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayley-atwell/i-think-brits-probably-feel-that-americans-are-more-like-us-than-vice/) [Hayley Atwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayley-atwell/) > [The 2011 riots in England, which left five dead and caused more than $300 million in property damage, were fueled by a generation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-barr/the-2011-riots-in-england-which-left-five-dead-and-caused-more-than/) [Bob Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-barr/) > [I'm from Canada and my wife is from St. Albans, so I feel a great kinship with the Brits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-priestley/i-m-from-canada-and-my-wife-is-from-st-albans-so-i-feel-a-great/) [Jason Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-priestley/) > [I'm a Brit and I just put myself on tape, back in London, for a very distant American project that I thought I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/i-m-a-brit-and-i-just-put-myself-on-tape-back-in-london-for-a-very/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [Brits and Americans have hundreds of different phrases for the same thing. Luckily, it's usually a source of amusement rather than frustration. A flashlight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/brits-and-americans-have-hundreds-of-different-phrases-for-the-same/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [If you're a Brit you kinda get used to people being cold and aloof and just generally arrogant - particularly musicians. (Compared to Londoners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-gilmore/if-you-re-a-brit-you-kinda-get-used-to-people-being-cold-and-aloof/) [Thea Gilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-gilmore/) > [My life now centered around sleepless nights and stand-bys, dodging the Brits and calming nerves to go out on operations. 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