The Road to Serfdom: Are We on the Final Stretch?

The Road to Serfdom: Are We on the Final Stretch?

By Claudio Grass

What you’re about to read is the abridged and condensed English translation of a speech I gave in Munich in November 2023. You can find the full speech, in German with English subtitles, here.

It tackles the very difficult, but also very crucial, subject of individual freedom, or what is left of it these days, and it seeks to offer a constructive analysis from a Swiss perspective.

In the interest of clarity and transparency, I feel compelled to answer the question posed in the title, just so you know where I stand right off the bat.

Are we on the road to serfdom? Yes, I believe we are and we have been for a long time. A simple glance at the history of our monetary system confirms this. Gold has been the currency of kings, silver has been the currency of the bourgeoisie, barter is the money of the peasants, and “paper”, or debt, is the money of the servants.

So here, I’ll discuss some personal observations and I’ll share a few thoughts and ideas that led me to conclude that we have indeed been living as serfs for quite some time now. Before I jump in at that deep end though, it’s important to understand my background: my roots are Rhaetian, a people known for their resilience and defiance, nestled in the Swiss Alps region of Graubünden. These roots tie me to a heritage steeped in tradition that shapes my perspective on freedom and autonomy.

But what does “enlightened and free” actually mean?  Well, to begin with, it implies the existence of unshackled, critical thinkers who exercise reason autonomously, free from external influences. Reason alone guides us toward ethical, moral and decent choices. It simply makes sense to refrain from theft, deceit, and murder. The non-aggression principle forms the bedrock of any enlightened society; coercion and unprovoked violence can never serve as a solution.

Human beings are not a means to an end, they’re not mere tools and they most definitely are not statistical points; each individual is unique and has absolute sovereignty over their own body and mind, a right that no state can ever strip away. This right extends to the fruits of one’s labors which is why all rightfully acquired private property must be sacrosanct; it is untenable for the state to dictate who is essential or not, who can work or provide for their family.

Freedom of speech is also paramount. Enlightenment can only take root and spread when individuals are free to voice their ideas without fear of retribution for their thoughts, no matter how ridiculous, abhorrent or offensive the majority might deem them. The only way to defeat bad ideas is by openly exposing them and defeating them through better ones. We always have a choice—we can discern for ourselves what is morally right or wrong. Personal responsibility is key: I am accountable for myself, just as you are for yourself. It is preposterous for any individual to be  to suddenly be deemed responsible for your health, as was suggested during the “plandemic”.

These are the fundamental pillars of a free society. However, as we’ve witnessed, these values have been trampled upon and egregiously violated, particularly over the past four years, with governments and state institutions treading on constitutional rights and overstepping their bounds. No government should wield authority over the body and mind of the individual; for without self-ownership, private property becomes meaningless. Borders delineate property; without them, the very concept of ownership disintegrates.

I refuse to be treated as a servant, and I trust you share this sentiment. What we are currently experiencing is a regression towards barbarism and savagery — a terrifying and absurd resurgence of Marxism and communism. History serves as a grim testament to the countless lives lost and the immense suffering inflicted by these toxic, misanthropic and truly evil ideologies. This is why I fiercely oppose, loudly object to and refuse to participate in this twisted, depraved and inhumane farce any longer.

The family unit is regarded by Marxists as the breeding ground of fascism and authoritarianism. In this worldview, there is no room for God; in fact there is no room for anything and anyone that can threaten the absolute authority of the State. This is what I call “the cult of reason” – if there is no God, everyone and anyone can claim divine status and absolute authority. Marxism argues that ideas are not independent constructs of the human mind, but rather reflections, or perhaps better described as “symptoms”, of materialism, underscoring their disdain for humanity’s capacity for critical thinking.

According to Marxists, humans are incapable of distinguishing right from wrong without guidance and they are nothing more than slabs of meat, to be cynically exploited like any other natural resource, brutally misused like any beast of burden or sadistically subjugated and objectified like cattle. The idea of the “centrally administered economy”, as Walter Eucken called it, is still very much alive and well, as the collective is once again above the individual, who is the smallest and most vulnerable minority, the only one that merits protection.

Language itself is once again under siege too, with notions like ‘hate speech’, that we already know from communism – policing and manipulating words is a crude but effective way to police and manipulate thoughts and ideas too. To wit, 81 percent of Germans do not dare express their opinions freely at home in front of own family. That says a lot about the society we live in.

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