No taxes, no vote

Fascinating piece in the Spectator this week from Theodore Dalrymple on the dangers of a bureaucracy out of control.

Dalrymple argues that bureaucracies are easily constructed and nearly impossible to dismantle. The reason is that they end up existing for reasons completely different to those for which they were originally set up. The vested interests of those employed by the bureaucracy prevent rational debate.

Five million of Britain's workforce (and rising rapidly) are now in the pay of the government and hence funded by the taxpayer. Gordon Brown, realising the financial implications of his massive increase in the bureaucracy (not to mention the crippling liability endowed to our children when their pensions are drawn), promised to slash over 80,00 jobs (a hardly punitive 2%) at the last budget. Progress to date, is err, an increase of 40,000. Lies or incompetence?

Some libertarians smell a conspiracy, whereby the more the people depend on the government for their livelihood, the more they will have to vote for whichever party promises to safeguard these jobs.

Dalrymple's solution is simple and innovative. Those who work for the government (whether Tory or Labour) are understandably biased and must not be allowed to vote.

"No taxation without representation demanded the Amercian colonists...and those who live off taxes should not have representation".