When I suggest recent history, I mean one need not go back any further than the early part of the 19th century; read through the years from the times of Owen and New Lanark, down through and into our own century, the 20th century, and read of the social experiments of Nazi Germany and of the communistic states of Russia and eastern Europe. The evil empires of the 20th century were built on the ideals of sincere people determined to change society for the better, but who were wrong in their view of the nature of man. These idealistic dreamers were in error to think they could convert their dreams to reality: these social experiments brought about human misery, mostly untold: we stand now on higher ground and can look back on the world-wide downfall of socialism and the destruction which it wrought. Simply put, there existed, in the past, and yet today, it seems, thoughtful men who had an abiding faith that the nature of man was changeable: -- forget that the nature of man was forged in an evolutionary process which extended over millions of years. The nature of man is not changeable; we are obliged to work with man as he exists not as we wish him to be. We can now make a final analysis; and the choice is, either: "Do this or I will make you" or, "Do this or take the consequences." The choice is to compel people to do what some think is right; or, to allow people to do, under the confines of criminal law, what they think is right through a system of voluntary co-operation, by civil contract.

But still there are those who with bright eyed innocence insist the world be shaped to their visions. Though they be benevolent, very well intentioned, very grave, and very respectable: they are, however, amateurs. And they carry the hallmark of all amateurs; they refuse to put aside subjective preference; they refuse to employ the scientific method.[11] Socialists believe in a grand system that has only ever existed in their collectivist heads. The use of rational argument will not shake them loose; they become like Jesuits at the burning pole.