The State and Diet

In Gorge yourself stupid, Andy Duncan at Samizdata finds a great quote from Ludwig von Mises:

[Modern socialism] is totalitarian in the strict sense of the term. It holds the individual in tight rein from the womb to the tomb. At every instant of his life the 'comrade' is bound to obey implicitly the orders issued by the supreme authority. The State is both his guardian and his employer. The State determines his work, his diet, and his pleasures. The State tells him what to think and what to believe in.

He spots the state connection to diet, which has bugged me since I, like him, have been on the Atkins Diet:

Now I could mention how clever it was, in 1944, for Von Mises to spot the increasing role, in the 21st century, for our illiberal friends at a certain UK newspaper, but let's take a closer look at the subject of diet, something Professor Mises told us in 1944 the totalitarians would feel bound to try to control us with, for whatever miserable reasons they dream up.

By my count, that means Mises predicted WWII, the cold war, the rise and fall of 20th century socialism, and the state's nannying opposition to diet plans. Awesome.

Posted by jk at January 6, 2004 01:09 PM