In the West, the idea of having the state act as a central economic planner gained enormous prestige after winning World War II. It didn’t seem to matter the defeated powers had used this same method of socialist warfare with terrible results. With the United Kingdom leading the way, developed nations launched themselves down the social-democratic path.

This Sunday, enemies of the poor gathered in Madrid and in other places around the world. “Zero poverty”, they demanded –having done nothing to reduce it. Nothing good, I mean.