Prosperity or egalitarianism - you have to choose. I favor freedom - you never achieve real equality anyway: you simply sacrifice prosperity for an illusion.

In this quote, Mario Vargas Llosa, a renowned Peruvian writer and political thinker, presents a stark choice between prosperity and egalitarianism, suggesting that achieving true equality often requires sacrificing economic progress and prosperity. Llosa argues that freedom is the cornerstone of a flourishing society, and that the pursuit of absolute equality often leads to a false illusion rather than genuine fairness. He implies that while equality in outcomes might be a desirable goal, it is unrealistic and may come at the cost of economic and personal freedoms.

Llosa critiques the idea that equality can be fully achieved, claiming that even in societies that strive for it, true equality is never realized. In his view, efforts to impose equal outcomes for all often result in economic stagnation and restrictions on freedom, as resources are redistributed in ways that suppress individual initiative and prosperity. This, according to Llosa, creates a situation where people sacrifice the potential for economic growth and innovation in favor of an ideal that cannot be fully attained.

By saying "you simply sacrifice prosperity for an illusion," Llosa emphasizes the economic cost of trying to enforce a society of absolute equality. He believes that this pursuit can lead to economic decline, where the drive for success and personal achievement is undermined by an overzealous pursuit of equality. Instead of achieving a utopian society, efforts to enforce equality may end up diminishing the prosperity that benefits everyone.

Ultimately, Llosa’s quote argues in favor of freedom as the primary driver of human progress. He suggests that while egalitarianism may sound noble, it comes with inherent trade-offs that can stifle economic dynamism and individual freedoms. In his view, a society that prioritizes freedom and prosperity, even at the expense of absolute equality, is more likely to achieve sustainable growth and well-being for its people.