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The False Hope of Government

Posted By: Randy GageSeptember 25, 2016

Last night we launched the Czech edition of Mad Genius. It’s wonderful to be back in Prague and there was a great crowd in the convention hall to discuss some concepts from the book and how they apply to creating wealth in the new economy.  I thought you’d find it interesting if I shared some of the discussion with you.

One of the reasons I love working in Czech Republic, Slovakia, and other countries in this part of the world is the passion of the people here. There really is a voracious appetite for success and a desire for learning.  That’s the good news.

On the other side, there are two perceptions here – two premises – that end up holding a lot of people back.

The first of these is an over reliance on government…

People here still look to the government to deliver their prosperity and success.  That’s a big mistake, and one you also see in the U.K., U.S. and many other places.

The folly of this premise is being demonstrated by the current presidential election back in the States.  Take a look at the fierce debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton on who would bring back manufacturing, create more jobs, and prevent jobs from leaving.  This is nothing more that an exercise in delusion, bad ideas, and asking the wrong questions.  The game has changed and both Trump and Clinton are still operating on old paradigms and faulty premises.

Yes it’s true that there are factories in places like Mexico and China that pay workers less and can produce items cheaper than the U.S.  And it’s true that some trade agreements have caused some jobs to relocate.  But none of that has impacted manufacturing as much as the reality that the entire manufacturing model has changed.  Things like 3D printing, automation, and advancing technology have blown up the entire process.

Let me give you an example. I’m working with a biotech company that owns their own factory.  They employ 400 workers there. They’ve just completed a new factory that increases their capacity to five times greater than the old factory.  Because of automation, the new place needs just 12 employees.  (Remember, to produce five times as much.)

No one “stole” those 388 jobs and no one is going to “bring them back.”

They have disappeared because they are simply no longer necessary. (Fortunately this particular company is expanding rapidly, so they were able to shift those employees to other jobs in the organization.)

Attempting to bring back those manufacturing jobs is as futile and misguided as trying to restore all those jobs for printing press typesetters, travel agents, and the guys who used to deliver blocks of ice for your refrigerator.  Those jobs are gone forever.  Poof.

But this isn’t a popular truth that people want to hear...

Rather than face a difficult reality, many people would rather hear a reassuring falsehood.  And nobody sells false hope better than centralized governments.

As I told you in the book, governments cannot create prosperity.  At best, they can facilitate an environment that nurtures it.  More often, they squander or actually eliminate prosperity through misguided policies and bad ideas.  Like trying to recreate jobs the free market economy has proven are no longer viable.

Certainly governments can protect workers from exploitation.  They can create incentives that cause companies to locate there.  And they can build tax codes that make companies want to stay in their respective countries.

But governments don’t create real jobs in the economy.  (Other than when they go to war, and that isn't the kind we're looking for.)  They don’t even create the economy.  And they most certainly don’t provide prosperity for their citizens.  Entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial companies offer that opportunity.

What I told the crowd here last night – and I’m telling you now – is stop looking for your government to make you successful. They don’t have the ability to do that.  You’re giving away your power and it will keep you broke.

You have to take full and personal responsibility for your own prosperity.

Are you willing to do that?

Next post, we’ll explore the second erroneous premise – one that can keep you from reaching the success you’re seeking.

- RG

16 comments on “The False Hope of Government”

  1. Great post Randy! 100% congruent with my thoughts about the current state of politics and economics. I've been in technology related positions for 40 years and have witnessed countless human workforce reductions (jobs) that vanish into the silicon-based machinery of progress. There is no end in sight of that trend, it only accelerates in accordance with Moore's law. Personal responsibility and entrepreneurism are still the best path for financial security and emotional fulfillment.

  2. Thaks you Randy!! It's very helpfull for me this information, your prosperity show and your life testimony this inspire me to change my reality and to fullfil my goals. You show me the way and alow me see the society trick!!! Jorge Anturi Rojas Cali Colombia

  3. The next generation is still being largely taught to be a good employee, for a world that won't have rote  jobs. .Government money on public schools, with an outdated curriculum and way of learning. One of the main questions I get about our son using an alternative curriculum at home, is  "will he be able to keep up when he goes back to school?" Sadly, we can either prepare him for re-entering public school or prepare him for 2021 and beyond. Not both. But I'm the crazy one. 🙂

  4. Not concerned whether or not Trump can manufacture jobs out of thin air.  What concerns me most is the possibility that he does this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj9M34DzAKo

  5. It's important to study, learn & apply the laws of Prosperity. Man is a thinking center, and what he thinks about, comes about. I do believe many are "resistant" to difficult realities, as Randy mentions, by virtue of choice, OR incorrect definitions of Prosperity and Poverty. This is what I've experienced in the process of taking charge of my Prosperity.

    In addition, I believe people confuse the "micro" with "the macro", so their perspectives are "skewed". Stand for enlightenment vs ignorance. If you don't have "piece-of-mind", getting comfortable in your own skin is a great asset to being happy.

  6. Great post Randy!

    We are seeing a lot of this attitude here in Puerto Rico. 

    The economy is in dire straights here and many of the people assume the government can bring it out. No, it is up to us...the people who hustle and allow prosperity to flow through and out.

    Keep up the great stuff.

  7. Thanks a lot, Randy.
    You really have been making perfect and very useful work. You are absolutely right, all governments in all over the world think only about own interests and own prosperity. Here, in our small ancient country Georgia that is located in south Caucasus region, there are a lot of people you believe that only government can change our life to better, that only officials can give us new jobs and change our living circumstances to better. In our country 26% of kids live on 1$ per day, but in spite of it their parents think that our future government will be better than we have nowadays...Georgia is a country where majority of citizens still live by illusion about the good  president, prime minister, government.....
    Randy, please visit Tbilisi, capital of Georgia, where you'll be able to see the majestic old churches, monuments, buildings and a lot of people who are into captivity of illusions and false hope.

    Yours sincerely,
    Gocha Goguadze
    Anti-illusioner

  8. Hi Randy,

    I am Czech and it IS exactly as you say - people rely on government to save them, pull them out ot their mysery, make them healthy, happy and prosperous. They fail to take their own responsibility, stand up and actually DO SOMETHING to move towards a better life. They continue to live in the old tracks, no more functional habbits and thinking patterns, they blame the government and all others from their unhappy life. They continue to stay in the "I am the poor unlucky guy/girl" victim scenario and do absolutely nothing to get out of this. And - many of them are not even willing to listne to the truth...because it takes pretty hard work to admit and get out of it.

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  • 16 comments on “The False Hope of Government”

    1. Great post Randy! 100% congruent with my thoughts about the current state of politics and economics. I've been in technology related positions for 40 years and have witnessed countless human workforce reductions (jobs) that vanish into the silicon-based machinery of progress. There is no end in sight of that trend, it only accelerates in accordance with Moore's law. Personal responsibility and entrepreneurism are still the best path for financial security and emotional fulfillment.

    2. Thaks you Randy!! It's very helpfull for me this information, your prosperity show and your life testimony this inspire me to change my reality and to fullfil my goals. You show me the way and alow me see the society trick!!! Jorge Anturi Rojas Cali Colombia

    3. The next generation is still being largely taught to be a good employee, for a world that won't have rote  jobs. .Government money on public schools, with an outdated curriculum and way of learning. One of the main questions I get about our son using an alternative curriculum at home, is  "will he be able to keep up when he goes back to school?" Sadly, we can either prepare him for re-entering public school or prepare him for 2021 and beyond. Not both. But I'm the crazy one. 🙂

    4. Not concerned whether or not Trump can manufacture jobs out of thin air.  What concerns me most is the possibility that he does this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj9M34DzAKo

    5. It's important to study, learn & apply the laws of Prosperity. Man is a thinking center, and what he thinks about, comes about. I do believe many are "resistant" to difficult realities, as Randy mentions, by virtue of choice, OR incorrect definitions of Prosperity and Poverty. This is what I've experienced in the process of taking charge of my Prosperity.

      In addition, I believe people confuse the "micro" with "the macro", so their perspectives are "skewed". Stand for enlightenment vs ignorance. If you don't have "piece-of-mind", getting comfortable in your own skin is a great asset to being happy.

    6. Great post Randy!

      We are seeing a lot of this attitude here in Puerto Rico. 

      The economy is in dire straights here and many of the people assume the government can bring it out. No, it is up to us...the people who hustle and allow prosperity to flow through and out.

      Keep up the great stuff.

    7. Thanks a lot, Randy.
      You really have been making perfect and very useful work. You are absolutely right, all governments in all over the world think only about own interests and own prosperity. Here, in our small ancient country Georgia that is located in south Caucasus region, there are a lot of people you believe that only government can change our life to better, that only officials can give us new jobs and change our living circumstances to better. In our country 26% of kids live on 1$ per day, but in spite of it their parents think that our future government will be better than we have nowadays...Georgia is a country where majority of citizens still live by illusion about the good  president, prime minister, government.....
      Randy, please visit Tbilisi, capital of Georgia, where you'll be able to see the majestic old churches, monuments, buildings and a lot of people who are into captivity of illusions and false hope.

      Yours sincerely,
      Gocha Goguadze
      Anti-illusioner

    8. Hi Randy,

      I am Czech and it IS exactly as you say - people rely on government to save them, pull them out ot their mysery, make them healthy, happy and prosperous. They fail to take their own responsibility, stand up and actually DO SOMETHING to move towards a better life. They continue to live in the old tracks, no more functional habbits and thinking patterns, they blame the government and all others from their unhappy life. They continue to stay in the "I am the poor unlucky guy/girl" victim scenario and do absolutely nothing to get out of this. And - many of them are not even willing to listne to the truth...because it takes pretty hard work to admit and get out of it.

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