"The paradox, of course, is that the very success of the mixed economy welfare states, in providing the social stability and ideological demobilization which made possible the prosperity of the past half century, has led a younger political generation to take that same stability and ideological quiescence for granted and demand the elimination of the "impediment" of the taxing, regulating, and generally interfering state".

Tony Judt, Reapparaisals, page 21.

Truer for Canada than for Spain, at lease right now that austerity and cuts to public services, including health and education, are making people aware of the fragility of those services they took for granted not too long ago.