Assets Quote by Mark Steyn
“In the Western world, countries that were once the crucible of freedom are slipping remorselessly into a thinly disguised serfdom in which an ever higher proportion of your assets are annexed by the state as superlandlord. Big government is where nations go to die - not in Keynes' 'long run,' but sooner than you think.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Critique of Expanding State Power, 2015
The author warns that once-free nations are increasingly becoming subtle forms of serfdom as governments annex more assets, arguing that big government leads to national decline faster than Keynesian long‑run predictions.
In simple terms: Growing government control threatens freedom and economic health.
Key Takeaway
Advocate for limited government and fiscal responsibility.
Themes
politics
freedom
government overreach
economics
libertarianism
Mood
cautious
critical
concerned
Type
political
analytical
When to use this quote
- taxation
- regulation
- public debt
- civil liberties
- political activism
Key Concepts
political theory
public policy
economic history
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence supports or refutes the “superlandlord” analogy?
- How can societies balance liberty with collective welfare?
A Different Perspective
The claim may overlook benefits of social safety nets.
![“Ever read any [Friedrich] Hayek? He's great. The Road To Serfdom is like... I'm not a big political-science reader, but I actually dog-eared my copy. I ended up going back through it and writing a précis, I was so impressed by this book. It's all about what happens when government tries to make…” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2be/p-j-o-rourke-184_bigs_ever-read-any-friedrich-hayek-he-s-great_507817.jpg)
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