Aspiration Quote by Frank Chodorov
“Since the State thrives on what it expropriates, the general decline in production that it induces by its avarice foretells its own doom. Its source of income dries up. Thus, in pulling Society down it pulls itself down. Its ultimate collapse is usually occasioned by a disastrous war, but preceding that event is a history of increasing and discouraging levies on the marketplace, causing a decline in the aspirations, hopes, and self-esteem of its victims.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The State and Its Decline” in The Freeman, 1950
State expropriation stifles production, leading to self‑destruction and eventual collapse, often via war.
In simple terms: Government greed harms economy and itself.
Key Takeaway
Limit state overreach to sustain prosperity.
Themes
state
economy
decline
Mood
critical
urgent
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy analysis
- economic planning
- social activism
Key Concepts
political economy
history
Questions to Reflect On
- What alternatives exist to prevent collapse?
- How can citizens counteract avarice?
A Different Perspective
War is not the only outcome of state failure.
![“[When people] say 'let's do something about it,' they mean 'let's get hold of the political machinery so that we can do something to somebody else.' And that somebody is invariably you.” quote by Frank Chodorov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9ed/frank-chodorov-17300_machinery_when-people-say-let-s-do-something-about_430256.jpg)
![“One of the great crimes of the Bloomberg/Klein administration [in New York City] is that they've removed themselves from communities, as if communities have nothing to say about what their needs and aspirations are for themselves and for their children.” quote by Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cfb/bill-ayers-1848_administration_one-of-the-great-crimes-of-the-bloomberg_36172.jpg)
