When freed, a good number of former slaves refused to leave the farm.
Good point.
I didn’t mean physical comfort in post 23 but emotional/psychological comfort and your post brings that point to a sharp point. (Not to say that most welfare recipients do not live comfortably)
You may live in squalor but you know that your basic needs are covered. Knowing that your day to day existence is ensured by the master; this is the comfort of a slave. It is a perfect analog for the welfare recipient.
The nanny state is a kind master. It does not ask much of its slaves. All it ask is that you vote for the Democrats every two years. If you show up at a demonstration once in a while so much the better.