The Road to Serfdom in Cartoons

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And now for something completely different! Friedrich A. Hayek (1899–1992), probably the most famous exponent of the Austrian school of economics, published The Road to Serfdom in 1944. It quickly became a classic on liberalism. From the abridgment of the Reader's Digest, a cartoon version was also created, a Latin and Greek version of which will be made available. Correction and positive criticism are welcome!

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The Road to Serfdom in Cartoons

an abridgment of the work of

Friedrich Hayek

Greek-Latin Edition

Via ad servitūtem picta

summārium operis

Friderīcī Hayek

Ēditiō Græcolatīna

Ἡ πρὸς δουλείαν ὁδὸς ἐν εἰκόσιν

ἐπιτομὴ τοῦ ἔργου

Φρεδερίχου Αἷεκ

Ἔκδοσις Ἑλληνορωμαϊκή

[jeidsath]

Is a serf a δοῦλος or servus? What about θής? (Εἵλως seems wrong). Or mancipium for the Latin?

[mwh]

Ἡ πρὸς δουλείαν ὁδὸς ἐν εἴκοσιν

"in 20 <steps>"?

i.e. correct the accent.

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Is a serf a δοῦλος or servus? What about θής? (Εἵλως seems wrong). Or mancipium for the Latin?

I'd rather use common words and δοῦλος seems to be more common than θής. Same for servus vs. mancipium.

Ἡ πρὸς δουλείαν ὁδὸς ἐν εἴκοσιν

"in 20 <steps>"?

i.e. correct the accent.

I stand corrected, thanks! Moreover there are only 18 steps.

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Step 01
War forces national planning.
To permit total mobilization of your country’s economy, you gladly surrender many freedoms.

Propter bellum cōnsilia pūblica fīunt.
Ad patria arma īnstruenda et paranda, multa lībertātis jūra libenter cēdis.

Διὰ τὸν πόλεμον συνέδρια κοινὰ γίγνεται.
Τοῦ τὰ τῆς πατρίδος ὅπλα κατασκευάζεσθαι, ἡδέως παραχωρεῖς πολλὰ τῆς ἐλευθερίας δίκαια.

You know regimentation was forced by your country’s enemies.

Stay on the job. WPB

Scīs enim hujusmodī disciplīnam ob hostēs necessāriam esse.

Permanē in opere. C.B.P.*

Οἶσθα γὰρ τοιαύτην τὴν δίαιταν διὰ τοὺς πολεμίους ἀναγκαίαν οὖσαν.

Ἐπιμένει τῷ ἔργῳ. Ε.Π.Π.*

* The War Production Board (WPB) was an agency of the United States government that supervised war production during World War II.

* Collēgium ad Bellum Parandum, cujus sodālēs per secundum bellum mundānum fuērunt magistrātūs Cīvitātum Fœderātārum Americæ.

* Ἑταιρεία τοῦ τὸν Πόλεμον Παρασκευάζεσθαι, ἧσπερ ἑταῖροι διὰ τοῦ δευτέρου παγκόσμίου πολέμου ὑπῆρξαν δυνάσται τῶν Ἡνωμενῶν Ἀμερικῆς Πολῑτειῶν.

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Step 02

Many want the planning to stay

Arguments for a peace production board are heard before the war ends.

Multī volunt ista cōnsilia manēre.

Ante bellum fīnītum, argūmenta audiuntur prō collēgiō ad pācem parandam.

Πόλλοι βούλονται ταῦτα τὰ συνέδρια μένειν.

Πρὶν ἂν ὁ πόλεμος καταλυθῇ, πίσται ἀκούονται ὑπὲρ ἑταιρείας τοῦ τὴν εἰρήνην παρασκευάζεσθαι.

Wartime planners who want to stay in power, encourage the idea.

What’s good in war is good in peace!

Cōnsiliāriī autem in tempore bellī, cupidī perpetuæ potestātis, rem suādent.

Ūtile bellō idem ac pāce!

Οἱ δ' ἐπὶ τοῦ πολέμου σύμβουλοι, ἐπιθῡμοῦντες τῆς συνεχοῦς ἐξουσίας, ἐκεῖνο πείθουσιν.

Τὸ ἐν πολέμῳ χρηστὸν ταὐτὸ καὶ ἐν εἰρήνῃ.

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Step 03

The planners promise Utopias.*

Cōnsiliāriī Ūtopiās* pollicentur.

Οἱ σύμβουλοι ὑπισχνοῦνται Οὐτοπίας.*

A rosy plan for farmers goes well in rural areas, a plan for industrial workers is popular in the
cities, and so on. Many new planners are elected to office.

Plan

Alterum bonā spē cōnsilium rūrī agricolīs placet. Alterum autem in urbibus opificibus grātum est, et cētera. Multī vērō novī cōnsiliāriī dēsignātī sunt

Cōnsilium

Τὸ μὲν ἕτερον εὔελπι βούλευμα ἐν ἀγρῷ ἀρέσκει τοῖς γεωργοῖς. Τὸ δ' ἕτερον ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι κεχάρισται τοῖς δημιουργοῖς, καὶ τὰ λοιπά. Πολλοὶ δὴ νέοι σύμβουλοι ᾕρηνται

Βούλευμα

* From the Greek not-a-place, title of the book written in 1561 by St. Thomas More, meaning a nearly perfect community or society.

* Ē Græcā nōn locus, īnscrīptiō librī annō MDLXI ā dīvō Thomā Mōrō scrīptī, significāns modo nōn perfectam societātem vel rem pūblicam quamdam.

* Ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐ τόπος, ἐπιγραφὴ οὖσα τοῦ βιβλίου τῷ ἔτει ͵ΑϠΞΑʹ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Θωμᾶ Μώρου γραφέντος, σημαίνουσα ὅσον οὐ τελείαν κοινωνίαν ἢ πολῑτείαν τινά.

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Step 04

But they can’t agree on ONE Utopia

With peace, a new legislature meets; but “win the war” unity is gone.

Sed nōn possunt ūnī Ūtopiæ assentīrī.

Pāce cōnfectā, lēgislātōrēs quidem congregantur, nōn autem amplius quasi bellō ūnanimiter vīctūrī.

Ἀλλὰ οὐχ οἷοί τ' εἰσὶ συνομολογεῖν μίαν Οὐτοπίαν.

Ἐίρήνης δὲ γενομένης, οἱ μὲν νομοθέται συνάγονται, οὐκέτι δ' ὡς πολέμῳ ὁμοθῡμαδὸν κρατήσοντες.

The planners nearly come to blows. Each has his own pet plan, won’t budge.

Parumque abest quīn cōnsiliāriī alapīs invicem cædant. Ūnusquisque enim cōnsiliolum suum habēns nōn trānsiget.

Καὶ ὀλίγου δέουσιν οἱ σύμβουλοι ῥαπίσμασιν ἀλλήλους λαβεῖν. Ἕκαστος γὰρ τὸ αὑτοῦ βουλευμάτιον ἔχων οὐ μὴ διομολογήσεται.

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Step 05

And citizens can’t agree either.

When the planners finally patch up a temporary plan months later, citizens in turn disagree.

Neque cīvēs possunt assentīrī.

Cum cōnsiliāriī longō post tempore cōnsilium temporārium quoddam composuerint, nunc vērō cīvēs discrepant.

Οὐδ' οἱ πολῖται οἷοί τ' εἰσὶ συνομολογεῖν.

Ἐπειδὴ οἱ σύμβουλοι πολὺν χρόνον διαλιπόντες συνέθηκαν βούλευμα πρόσκαιρόν τι, νῦν μὴν οἱ πολῖται διαφωνοῦσιν.

What the farmer likes, the factory worker doesn’t like.

New national plan

Quæ enim agricolīs placent, ea opificibus displicent.

Novum cōnsilium pūblicum.

Ὅσα γὰρ ἀρέσκει τοῖς γεωργοῖς, τοσαῦτα ἀπαρέσκει τοῖς δημιουργοῖς.

Καινὸν βούλευμα κοινόν.

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Step 06

The planners hate to force agreement

Cōnsiliāriī gravantur cōnsēnsum per vim efficere.

Οἱ σύμβουλοι δυσχεραίνουσιν ὁμολογίαν βιάζεσθαι.

Most national planners are well-meaning idealists, balk at any use of force.

Plērīque ē cōnsiliāriīs pūblicīs, cum somniantēs benevolī sint, nōlunt vim alicui īnferre.

Οἱ δὲ πλεῖστοι τῶν κοινῶν συμβούλων ὀνειροπόλοι εὔνοοι ὄντες οὐ μὲν βούλονται οὐδένα βιάζεσθαι.

They hope for some miracle of public agreement as to their patchwork plan.

Spērant autem dīvīnitus quōdammodo plēbem cōnsiliō compositō eōrum assēnsūram essem.

Ἐλπίζουσι δὲ θείως πως τὸν δῆμον συνομολογήσειν τὸ σύνθετον βούλευμα αὐτῶν.

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Step 07


They try to “sell” the plan to all…

Cōnantur igitur cōnsilium omnibus probarī.

Πειρῶνται οὖν ὅπως πάντες ἀποδέχωνται τὸ βούλευμα.

In an unsuccessful effort to educate people to uniform views, planners establish a giant propaganda machine, which coming dictator will find handy.

Cōnsiliāriī, vānē studentēs īnstituendō hominēs ad ūnam sententiam, sibi parant immēnsam prædicātiōnem, quæ adventūrō dictātōrī ūtilis erit.

Οἱ γὰρ σύμβουλοι, ματαίως σπουδάζοντες παιδεῦσαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς μίαν γνώμην, παρασκευάζονται κήρυξιν ὑπερμεγέθη, ἥ γε τῷ ἐπιόντι τυράννῳ χρησίμη ἔσται.

propaganda

controlled media

præcōnium

media* in potestāte

κήρυγμα

μέσα* κρατούμενα


* Technologies for mass-communication of letters, images, sounds etc., being in some sense in the middle.

* Artēs mēchanicæ commūnicandō cum vulgō litterās, imāginēs, sonōs etc, cum ipsæ quōdammodo in mediō sint.

* Τέχναι μηχανικαὶ τοῦ μεταδιδόναι τοῖς πολλοῖς γραμμάτων, εἰκόνων, ἤχων κ.τ.λ., αὐταὶ οὖσαί πως ἐν μέσῳ.

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Step 08


The gullible do find agreement.

Facilēs dēceptū vērō assentiuntur.

Οἱ εὐεξαπάτητοι συνομολογοῦσι δή.

Meanwhile, growing national confusion leads to protest meetings.

Intereā, perturbātiōne populī crēscente, sequuntur sēditiōnēs.

Ἐν τῷ μεταξύ, τῆς τοῦ δήμου ταραχῆς αὐξανομένης, ἕπονται στάσεις.

The least educated, thrilled and convinced by fiery oratory, form a party.

Nam indoctī, cum sibi persuāsum sit ā validissimīs dīcendī, cōnstituunt sē in factiōnem.

Οἱ γὰρ ἀπαίδευτοι, ἐκπεπεισμένοι ὑπὸ τῶν δεινοτάτων λέγειν, συνίστανται εἰς μερίδα.

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Step 09

Confidence in planners fades

Fidēs in cōnsiliāriīs dēficit.

Ἡ ἐν τοῖς συμβούλοις πίστις ἐκλείπει.

The more that the planners improvise, the greater the disturbance to normal business.

Nam quantō magis cōnsiliāriī māchinantur, tantō magis rēs commoventur.

Ὅσῳ γὰρ μᾶλλον οἱ σύμβουλοι μηχανῶνται, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον τὰ πράγματα ταράττεται.

Everybody suffers. People now feel--rightly--that planners can’t get things done!

Itaque omnēs labōrant. Nunc autem hominēs nōn putant, et rēctē, cōnsiliāriōs mūnera perficere posse.

Ὥστε πάντες κάμνουσιν. Νῦν δ' οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὐκ οἴονται, καὶ ὀρθῶς, τοὺς συμβούλους δύνασθαι τὰ ἔργα διαπρᾶξαι.

Let’s get a man who can make a plan work!

Ēligātur qui possit cōnsilium captum perficere.

Αἱρεθήτω ὁ δυνάμενος ποιεῖν ἃ ἐβουλεύσατο.

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Step 10

The strong man is given power.

Imperium dictātōrī dēfertur.

῾Η ἀρχὴ παραδίδοται τῷ τυράννῳ.

In desperation, planners authorize the new party leader to hammer out a plan and force its obedience.

Cōnsiliāriī ergō, ad angustiās dētrūsī, potestātem dant novæ factiōnis ducī, cōnsiliō compositō, obœdientem reddendī plēbem.

Οἱ οὖν σύμβουλοι ἀποροῦντες ἐξουσίαν διδόασι τῷ τῆς νέας μερίδος ἡγεμόνι, συνθέντι βούλευμα, πειθομένον παρέχειν τὸν δῆμον.

Later, they’ll dispense with him, or so they think.

Posteā vērō, sīc enim arbitrantur, remittent eum.

Ἔπειτα δή, οὕτως γὰρ ἡγοῦνται, ἀναπέμψουσιν αὐτόν.

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Step 11

The party takes over the country.

Factiō imperium in patriam obtinet.

Ἡ μερὶς κρατεῖ τῆς πατρίδος.

By now, confusion is so great that obedience to the new leader must be obtained at all costs.

Nunc vērō tanta perturbātiō est ut plēbs novō ducī obœdiēns omnī modō reddenda sit.

Νῦν δὴ τοσαύτη ταραχή ἐστιν ὥστε παντὶ τρόπῳ δεῖν τὸν δῆμον παρέχεσθαι πειθομένον τῷ νέῳ ἡγεμόνι.

Maybe you join the party yourself to aid national unity.

Forte autem ipse factiōnem sequeris ut plēbs ūnīus voluntātis fīat.

Τάχα δ' αὐτὸς αἱροῦ τὴν μερίδα ἵνα ὁ δῆμος μιᾶς γνώμης γίγνηται.

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Step 12


A negative aim welds party unity.

Prōpositum adversārium quoddam factiōnem conciliat.

Προαίρεσις ἐναντία τις εἰς ὁμόνοιαν ἄγει τὴν μερίδα.

Early step of all dictators is to inflame the majority in common cause against some scapegoat minority.

Prius enim omnēs dictātōrēs īnstīgant plērōsque commūniter adversārī pauciōribus ut piāculō cuidam.

Πρότερον γὰρ πάντες οἱ τύραννοι παροξύνουσι τοὺς πολλοὺς κοινοπρᾱγεῖν ἐναντίον τῶν ὀλίγων ὡς καθάρματός τινος.

In Germany, the negative aim was Anti-Semitism.

In Germāniā vērō prōpositum Jūdæīs adversārium fuit.

Ἐν δὴ τῇ Γερμανίᾳ ἡ προαίρεσις ἔτυχεν ἐναντία τῶν Ἰουδαίων οὗσα.

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Step 13

No one opposes the leader’s plan.

Nēmō sē oppōnit ducis cōnsiliō.

Οὐδεὶς ἀντιτάσσεται τῇ τοῦ ἡγεμόνος βουλῇ.

It would be suicide; new secret police are ruthless.

Etenim pereās, cum agentēs in rēbus trucēs sint.

Καὶ γὰρ ἂν ἀπολλύοιο, τῶν τῆς κρυπτείας φονικῶν ὄντων.

Ability to force obedience always becomes the No. 1 virtue in the “planned state.”

Vīs autem obœdientem reddendī plēbem semper fit virtūs maxima in cīvitāte quæ secundum cōnsilium administrātur.

Ἡ δὲ δεινότης τοῦ πειθομένον παρέχειν τὸν δῆμον ἀεὶ γίγνεται ἀρετὴ μεγίστη ἐν πολῑτείᾳ τῇ κατὰ βουλὴν διοικουμένῃ.

Now all freedom is gone.

Itaque tota libertas amissa est.

Ὥστε ὅλη ἡ ἐλευθερία ἀποβέβληται.

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Step 14

Your profession is planned.

Opera tua secundum cōnsilium administrātur.

Ἡ ἐργασία σου κατὰ βουλὴν διοικεῖται.

The wider job choice promised by now defunct planners turns out to be a tragic farce.

Ex enim optiōne plūrium operārum ā cōnsiliāriīs dēfūnctīs prōmissā, mīmus horribilis ēvādit.

Ἁπὸ γὰρ τῆς αἱρέσεως πλειόνων ἐργασιῶν ἥνπερ σύμβουλοι οἱ ἀπηλλαγμένοι ὑπέσχοντο, μῖμος φοβερός τις ἀποβαίνει.

Planners have never delivered, never will be able to.

Cōnsiliāriī igitur numquam reddidērunt, neque umquam poterunt.

Οἱ τοίνυν σύμβουλοι οὔποτε ἀπέδωκαν, ουδέποτε οἷοι τ' ἔσονται.

But I’m not a carpenter, I’m a plumber.

Vērumtamen nōn sum lignārius, sed plumbārius!

Πλὴν οὐκ εἰμὶ ξυλουργός, ἀλλὰ μολυβδουργός.

[FlatAssembler]

I can't believe we came up with a very similar idea, see here.

[FlatAssembler]

This is referring to Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and her Green New Deal, right?

Etenim pereās, cum agentēs in rēbus trucēs sint.

"Secret police" is "agentes"? Why exactly? "Agentes" essentially means "doer" or "maker", right? I used the word "militia" for "police". Far from a perfect translation, but seems rather reasonable. I could have used "equites", however, I think modern readers would have even greater trouble understanding what I meant.

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I found this in L&S under ago:

B. Subst.: ăgentes , ium.
a. Under the emperors, a kind of secret police (also called frumentarii and curiosi), Aur. Vict. Caes. 39 fin.; Dig. 1, 12; 1, 20; 21; 22; 23, etc.; Amm. 15, 3; 14, 11 al.—

See also here and here.

As for Hayek's thesis, it is applicable to all kinds of socialisms, whether of the Marxist, national, or utopistic flavor.

[FlatAssembler]

I found this in L&S under ago:

B. Subst.: ăgentes , ium.
a. Under the emperors, a kind of secret police (also called frumentarii and curiosi), Aur. Vict. Caes. 39 fin.; Dig. 1, 12; 1, 20; 21; 22; 23, etc.; Amm. 15, 3; 14, 11 al.—

See also here and here.

As for Hayek's thesis, it is applicable to all kinds of socialisms, whether of the Marxist, national, or utopistic flavor.

Sorry, I did not know that. And what is "in rebus" supposed to mean? Did you mean "everywhere", or? I think a good way of saying "They are everywhere." might be "Illi in omnibus locis sunt." or "Quirquir tu eas, ibi illi sunt."

Anyway, what do you think about my text here? My guess is that it's barely comprehensible, but we all need to start from somewhere (And I am studying electrotechnics, so I don't really have time to immerse myself into Latin and Greek literature). And what do you think would be a good translation for "police"? (If possible, please reply in my thread.)

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I guess it is understood as "affairs."
Many say vigiles for police. You may find these pages helpful.

[FlatAssembler]

I guess it is understood as "affairs."
Many say vigiles for police. You may find these pages helpful.

I've always assumed that "vigiles" meant the same as "custodes", and that the knights ("equites") played the same role in peace (not in the war) as the police today does. Though I haven't studied a lot of history really.

I might have also been influenced by my fellow anarchists on the Internet refering to police as "armed troop".

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Step 15

Your wages are ``planned’’

Mercēs tua secundum cōnsilium administrātur.

Ὁ μισθός σου κατὰ βουλὴν διοικεῖται.

Divisions of the wage scale must be arbitrary and rigid.

Et necesse pactiōnēs mercēdum ex obstinātōrum opīniōne fierī.

Καὶ ἀνάγκη τὰς τῶν μισθῶν συνθήκας ἐκ τοῦ τῶν αὐθαδῶν δόγματος γίγνεσθαι.

Running a ``planned state’’ from central head-quarters is clumsy, unfair, inefficient.

Nam ab Arce Capitōlīnā secundum cōnsilium rem pūblicam administrāre est tardum et inīquum et vānum.

Τὸ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀκροπόλεως κατὰ βουλὴν διοικεῖν τὴν πολῑτείαν ἐστὶ βραδὺ καὶ ἀνεπιεικὲς καὶ ἄπρακτον.

Paymaster

Dispēnsātor

Ταμίας

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Step 16

Your thinking is planned

Μēns tua secundum cōnsilium administrātur.

Ὁ νοῦς σου κατὰ βουλὴν διοικεῖται.

In the dictatorship, unintentionally created by the planners, there is no room for difference of opinion.

Nam dictātōre ā cōnsiliāriīs per imprūdentiam creātō, nōn amplius licet discrepāre.

Τοῦ γὰρ τυράννου ὑπὸ τῶν συμβούλων ἀνοήτως ποιηθέντος, οὐκέτι ἔξεστι διαφωνεῖν.

Posters, radio, press all tell you the same lies!

Prōscrīptiōnēs et radiophōnia* et ācta diurna nūntiānt eadem falsa.

Αἱ δὲ προγραφαὶ καὶ ἡ ἀκτῑνοφωνία* καὶ αἱ ἐφημερίδες ἀγγέλουσι ταὐτὰ ψευδῆ.

The world is flat

Latest papers.

Terra est plāna.

Novissima.

Ἡ γῆ πλατεῖά ἐστιν.

Τὰ ἔσχατα.


*radiophōnia

*ἡ ἀκτῑνοφωνία

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Step 17

Your recreation is planned

Quiēs tua secundum cōnsilium administrātur.

Ἡ ἀνάπαυσίς σου κατὰ βουλὴν διοικεῖται.

It is no coincidence that sports and amusements have been carefully planned in all regimented nations.

Nōn enim temere est quod exercitātiōnēs lūdīque sub dictātōre dīligenter administrantur.

Οὐ γὰρ ἀπὸ τύχης ὅτι τὰ γυμνάσιά τε καὶ αἱ ἀσκήσεις ἐπὶ τυράννου ἐπιμελῶς διοικοῦνται.

Once started, planners can’t stop.

Et certē cōnsiliāriī, initiō factō, nōn valent dēsistere.

Καὶ δὴ οἱ σύμβουλοι ὁρμήσαντες οὐκ ἔχουσι παύσασθαι.

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Step 18

Your discipling is planned

Pūnītiō tua secundum cōnsilium administrātur.

Ἡ κόλασίς σου κατὰ βουλὴν διοικεῖται.

If you’re fired from job, it’s apt to be by a firing squad.

Sī mittāris ab operā, istud fīat per tēla mittentēs.

Εἰ ἀφεθείης ἀπὸ τῆς ἐργασίας, τοῦτο γένοιτο ἂν διὰ τῶν βέλη ἀφιέντων.

What used to be an error has now become a crime against the state.

Scīlicet, quod īnfortūnium erat, id nunc factum est scelus contrā rem pūblicam.

Δηλαδή, ὅπερ ἀτύχημα ἦν, τοῦτο νῦν γέγονεν ἀδίκημα κατὰ τῆς πολιτείας.

Thus ends the road to serfdom!

Sīc cōnsummāta est via ad servitūtem.

Οὕτως ἀποτετέλεσται ἡ πρὸς δουλείαν ὁδός.

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Via ad servitūtem picta free at the Internet Archive


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