The worst evils which mankind has ever had to endure were inflicted by bad governments. — Ludwig von Mises

The worst evils which mankind has ever had to endure were inflicted by bad governments.

Author: Ludwig von Mises

Insight: We tend to blame impersonal forces—the economy, technology, human nature—for our biggest problems. But Mises points to something simpler and more uncomfortable: the people we put in charge. History does bear this out. The worst famines, wars, and purges weren't accidents or natural disasters. They came from governments making deliberate choices—often with absolute confidence they were helping. What makes this relevant today isn't about left or right politics. It's about recognizing that concentrated power, no matter how well-intentioned, can do extraordinary damage precisely because it operates at scale. A bad business decision hurts customers. A bad government decision can upend millions of lives. This doesn't mean all government is bad—roads need building, laws need making. It means we should stay skeptical of anyone too eager to centralize control, expand authority without scrutiny, or dismiss concerns about their power as naive. The quieter insight here is personal: we do the same thing in smaller ways. We trust someone with influence over us—a boss, a parent figure, an institution—and stop asking hard questions. Mises reminds us that vigilance isn't cynicism. It's just how you protect what matters.