Sunday, July 10, 2011

A government lesson from cows

I remember seeing this in Ann Landers' column years ago and I thought people might need reminding how different governments work.   
 

Socialism: You have two cows. Give one cow to your neighbor.
   


Communism: You have two cows. Give both cows to the government, and they may give you some of the milk.
  

Fascism: You have two cows. You give all the milk to the government, and it sells it.
    

Nazism: You have two cows. The government shoots you and takes both cows.
  

Anarchism: You have two cows. Keep both of the cows, shoot the government agent and steal another cow.
    


Capitalism: You have two cows. Sell one cow and buy a bull.
  

Surrealism: You have two giraffes. The government taxes ever penny you get and then gives you a government grant from your own money, but only if you take harmonica lessons.

Which way would you like to live?

I came upon a new one with more detail. I think this explains a little better.

FEUDALISM: You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk.

PURE SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and puts them in a barn with everyone else's cows. You have to take care of all of the cows. The government gives you as much milk as you need.

BUREAUCRATIC SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and put them in a barn with everyone else's cows. They are cared for by ex-chicken farmers. You have to take care of the chickens the government took from the chicken farmers. The government gives you as much milk and eggs as the regulations say you need.

FASCISM: You have two cows. The government takes both, hires you to take care of them and sells you the milk.

PURE COMMUNISM: You have two cows. Your neighbors help you take care of them, and you all share the milk.

RUSSIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. You have to take care of them, but the government takes all the milk.

CAMBODIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. The government takes both of them and shoots you.

DICTATORSHIP: You have two cows. The government takes both and drafts you.

PURE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbors decide who gets the milk.

REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbors pick someone to tell you who gets the milk.

BUREAUCRACY: You have two cows. At first the government regulates what you can feed them and when you can milk them. Then it pays you not to milk them. Then it takes both, shoots one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain. Then it requires you to fill out forms accounting for the missing cows.

PURE ANARCHY: You have two cows. Either you sell the milk at a fair price or your neighbors try to take the cows and kill you.

LIBERTARIAN/ANARCHO-CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull.

SURREALISM: You have two giraffes. The government requires you to take harmonica lessons.

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