Genesis of the "NO" Logo
In history there have been two basic forms of social organization: collectivism and individualism. In the 20th and 21st century, collective variations have included socialism, fascism, Nazism, and communism. Under collectivism, a ruling class of “intellectuals”, bureaucrats, politicians and/or social planners decides what people want or what is “good” for society and then uses the coercive power of the State to regulate, tax and redistribute wealth in an attempt to achieve their desired objectives. Individualism is a political and social philosophy that emphasizes individual liberty, belief in the primary importance of the individual and in the virtues of self-reliance and personal independence and responsibility. It embraces opposition to controls over the individual when exercised by the state. The Preamble to our Constitution makes it plain that all power rests originally with the people, as individuals.
The “O” within the circle represents collectivism in its various forms. The “N” represents an emphatic repudiation of collectivism. The red, white and blue circles encompassing the “NO” are emblematic of our Republic. It is the responsibility of the individuals in an engaged and enlightened republic to limit the influence of the government, especially one that attempts to wield power outside the boundaries delineated by the Constitution.
State-economics separation preserves the individual’s ability to follow the best economic ideas. As Ayn Rand illustrated so powerfully in Atlas Shrugged, by liberating the economy from government controls, separation of state and economics liberates the greatest power on earth: the individual human mind, with all its creative potential to sustain and enhance human life.
Separation of state and economics is the ideal the Tea Parties should stand for; we must completely disentangle the government from economic affairs, and keep it out. To be sure, this goal will take time—and a roadmap—to reach the point where there are no government controls, no handouts, and no bailouts. But it is the only valid destination.
http://principlesofafreesociety.com/separation-of-economics-and-state/call-for-the-separation-of-economics-and-state.html
