And the reign of our political masters is?

"Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day. But a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly proves a deliberate systematic plan of reducing us to slavery."
Thomas Jefferson

All governments practice, in one form or another, social engineering, whether that is by continually making changes to education, health and law enforcement 'services' for example; or even through changes to immigration policies altering the demographic make up of society. Yet another means of social engineering is carried out through the present policies of equality and diversity; thus attempting to ensure that certain groups of people fill all levels of employment. Invariably this wish by the political class fails to achieve its intended object and because of that failure usually creates more problems that it sets out to solve. 

This leads to a situation whereby failure of government programmes prompts more determined efforts, while the resultant loss of liberty is ignored or rationalized away. Whether it is the war against poverty, drugs, terrorism or the current 'Bete Noire' of the day, an appeal to patriotism, or social awareness, is normally used to convince the people that a little sacrifice of liberty, here and there, is a small price to pay. The results, though, are frightening and will soon become even more so.

It now appears that the political class, in the shape of David Cameron, is now intending to use psychology in the attempt to enslave the people of this nation. The Cabinet Office has released a paper: "Mindspace  influencing behaviour through public policy", a document frightening in its simplicity. The first paragraph of the Foreward spells out 'the plan':

"Influencing people’s behaviour is nothing new to Government, which has often used tools such as legislation, regulation or taxation to achieve desired policy outcomes. But many of the biggest policy challenges we are now facing – such as the increase in people with chronic health conditions – will only be resolved if we are successful in persuading people to change their behaviour, their lifestyles or their existing habits. Fortunately, over the last decade, our understanding of influences on behaviour has increased significantly and this points the way to new approaches and new solutions."

Whether it is by means of Mindspace or the Big Society, individual choice of thought, word and deed is being eroded, with the intention that we all become 'model citizens' and thus 'controlled' by those we elect, whether that be on a national or local level. However, consider that historically, the most terrible things; war, genocide, and slavery, have resulted not from disobedience, but from obedience - and so it is today that through our obedience to those that are supposed to act on our behalf, that we are gradually being changed in how we speak, act and think. With the number if laws in this nation constantly growing, whereby what is called crime is very often not a crime at all as it contains no element of violence, there will come a 'tipping point', for then the people will realise that when government undertakes to proscribe the exercise of a persons constitutional rights, it is acting unlawfully and people will then take matters into their own hands.

The current practice of government needing to know everything about individuals is reaching ludicrous proportions. In the forthcoming Census, what business is it of government to know whether I practise any form of religion and if so, what that religion is? What business is it of government to know my sexual proclivities? What business is it of government to dictate how many women there are filling boardroom positions? Government seems to forget that - as Catherine Hakim points out, in a paper for the Centre for Policy Studies entitled "Feminist Myths and Magic Medicine" - not all women wish to go out to work, some of them wish to remain at home and rear their children.

With the assistance of politicians, individuals are constantly exhorted to behave differently - witness for example the anti-smoking and anti-obesity 'charities' that are in existence. Paraphrasing Henry Grady Weaver, author of a classic book on freedom "The Mainspring of Human Progress", the harm done by ordinary criminals, murderers, gangsters and thieves is negligible in comparison with the imposition of 'advice' that is inflicted on individuals by professional 'do-gooders' who attempt to set themselves up as gods on earth and who would ruthlessly force their views on everyone, and assuring all that the end justifies the means.

It is a matter of continual amazement to me the political class do not remember that history shows us, eventually, the obedience of people ceases - and when that happens it usually results in the days of the political class being 'numbered'.

How long before our obedience ceases?