"Why passports? Why immigration restriction? Why not let human beings go where they wish to go, North Pole or South Pole, Russia or Turkey, the States or Bolivia? Human beings must be kept under control. They cannot fly like insects about the world into which they were born without being asked. Human beings must be brought under control, under passports, under finger-print registrations. For what reason? Only to show the omnipotence of the state, and of the holy servant of the state, the bureaucrat. Bureaucracy has come to stay. It has become the great and almighty ruler of the world. It has come to stay to whip human beings into discipline and make them numbers within the state. With foot-printings of babies it has begun; the next stage will be the branding of registration numbers upon the back, properly filed, so that no mistake can be made as to the true nationality of the insect. A wall has made China what she is today. The walls all nations have built up since the war for democracy will have the same effect. Expanding markets and making large profits are a religion. It is the oldest religion perhaps, for it has the best-trained priests, and it has the most beautiful churches; yes, sir."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
p. 137
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/B._Traven
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
B. Traven
41 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by B. Traven →
Related Quotes
"We all were dead. All of us were convinced that we were on our way to the fishes. Funny that even among the dead thes…"
"Ordinary people can never fall over the walls, because they never dare climb high enough to see what is beyond the wa…"
"If all people had a decent job to occupy their minds, and regular meals to satisfy their hunger, most crimes would no…"
"Bravery on the battlefield? Don't make me laugh. Bravery on the field of work. Here, of course, you don't get any med…"
"Morals are taught and preached not for the sake of heaven, but to assist those people on earth who have everything th…"
"It is an old rule, only not sufficiently obeyed, but a good rule: If you do not wish to be lied to, do not ask questi…"
"There is no getting used to pain and suffering. You become only hard-boiled, and you lose a certain capacity to be im…"
"[After the war] The governments thought it wiser, finally, to make up again. Time had come when all governments were …"
"A good capitalist system does not know waste. This system cannot allow these tens of thousands of men without papers …"
"Whatever a being may own is of no importance, of no concern at all. It is gone and useless. All we have is our breath…"