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Comment by onion2k | Hacker News Reader

After all pensioners aren't likely to riot.

I would highly recommend reading The Road To Serfdom (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Road_to_Serfdom). It details precisely why a right wing government needs to invest in welfare and social care for this exact reason; when a government fails the poor (or the poor's parents I imagine) they have a tendency to rise up and kill all the rich people.

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> It details precisely why a right wing government needs to invest in welfare and social care

I was gobsmacked when I read this, as most of the Hayekians I know argue to let the poor/weak fend for themselves, as it would be better to let the weak perish than to steal from the strong to protect them. I may actually have to read it now!

Also, I feel it's unreasonable for those without property to respect property rights if they gain no benefit from doing so (other than not being a victim of State violence).

Hayek was one of the first to suggest a Universal Basic Income would be a good idea. That would be quite a strange notion if he thought the poor should be left to fend for themselves (at least economically).

That relates to young poor only. Older ones won't revolt. That may be a problem with youth unemployment for example, but not with pension system.

So, the function of a government is to keep the people happy enough so they don't rebel. Good to know. That's illuminating (1)

1. I mean in the clarity sense, not in the 'Illuminati' conspirational sense. Well, wait, why not both?

Show me one example since say, 1980.

> Show me one example since say, 1980. Also, it has to be in this room!

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