"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. - That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. "
-- The Declaration of Independence of the United States 1776
"Everyone wants to live at the expense of the State. They forget that the State lives at the expense of everyone."
-- Frederique Bastiat (1801 - 1850) French economist and member of the French assembly
"Don't put all your eggs in one basket."
-- Popular words of wisdom, origin unknown
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
-- Lord Acton (1834 - 1902) English historian
-- The Principles of the Free Market
Governments throughout history have frequently been built on the opposite premise, that the peoples rights are secondary to the needs of the state. Often it is phrased differently to make it more politically palatable: individual rights are secondary to the "common good". There may always be a temptation to delegate more and more authority to the state, but each nationalized industry introduces more moral hazard. In reality, the common good is better served by limited governments that secure individual rights so that free markets may prosper. Free markets operate when industries are competitive, but not when they must compete with subsidized government industries.