It is hardly an exaggeration to say that the Industrial Revolution began in the UK.

It was the mastery of energy–replacing muscle power with fossil fuels that fundamentally transformed everything. We still describe an engine’s output as “horsepower” for a reason: for most of human history the fastest anything could travel was the speed of a horse.

Unless, of course, you were falling off a cliff. Then you could go faster, but the ride was short.

The UK–which is still led by the Tories only because Labour is even worse–is looking to undo the Industrial Revolution. In a ridiculous bid to save Gaia from an imagined threat, the government is proposing to create new criminal laws that would imprison and fine people for not complying with new energy efficiency standards. Soon they will make excessive energy use–and that will be energy use that rises above “Net Zero”–could be a criminal offense.

No, I am not kidding.

Now it's literally
Prison
For the peasants
Under the NetZero tyrants

You truly are the carbon
They are trying to eradicatehttps://t.co/a8LNI2K7b8

— Dr Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) September 1, 2023

It is madness.

Property owners who fail to comply with new energy efficiency rules could face prison under government plans that have sparked a backlash from Tory MPs.

Ministers want to grant themselves powers to create new criminal offences and increase civil penalties as part of efforts to hit net zero targets. Under the proposals, people who fall foul of regulations to reduce their energy consumption could face up to a year in prison and fines of up to £15,000.

Tory backbenchers are set to rebel against the plans, which they fear would lead to the criminalisation of homeowners, landlords and businesses.

The proposals are contained in the Government’s controversial Energy Bill, which is set to come before the Commons for the first time when MPs return from their summer break on Tuesday.

It provides for “the creation of criminal offences” where there is “non-compliance with a requirement imposed by or under energy performance regulations”. People could also be prosecuted for “provision of false information” about energy efficiency or the “obstruction of… an enforcement authority”.

The Tories are proof positive that power corrupts everybody over time, and by that, I am not referring to the inevitable tendency to cut ethical corners if you think you can get away with it.

This form of corruption is much worse than lining your pockets; it is the growing belief that having power gives one the wisdom to impose one’s will on others in matters great and small. All power wants to become unlimited if given the chance.

Tory MPs have expressed alarm that ministers would be able to create new offences with limited parliamentary scrutiny under the update.

Craig Mackinlay, the head of the Net Zero Scrutiny Group, has tabled an amendment to strip the “open-ended and limitless” powers out of the legislation. He told The Telegraph: “The Bill is festooned with new criminal offences. This is just unholy, frankly, that you could be creating criminal offences

“The ones we’ve found most offensive are where a business owner could face a year in prison for not having the right energy performance certificate or type of building certification.”

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, a former energy secretary, said the proposed use of statutory instruments to create new offences was unacceptable, adding: “Criminal offences are an exceptional use of the state’s power and therefore require the fullest constitutional scrutiny.

The Ministers in question insist that they have no plans at this time to create new criminal offenses–they just need the power to adjust laws as they see fit in the future. Without oversight.

Sounds good, right? We should trust their good judgment because they are the experts and know best how to manage people’s lives.

If this sounds tyrannical to you, it should. But if you think it is unusual, you shouldn’t. Most “laws” in the United States in the modern era are actually regulations passed down by unaccountable bureaucrats, and in many cases violations of those regulations can impoverish you or land you in jail.

Given how we treat serial lawbreakers today the average person would likely be at less risk of punishment for shoplifting than a farmer violating some water regulation by plowing the wrong field at the wrong time. A policeman could seize your property and make you spend years fighting to get it back, even if you have committed no crime. All they have to do is claim they suspect it was the proceeds of a crime. Guilty or innocent, it doesn’t matter.

So it’s no stretch for government officials to decide that there is a climate “crisis” that requires bullying people into compliance, and it should surprise none of us that the criminalization of comfort is coming. Cars, air conditioning, heating, and lighting are major sources of energy consumption, and you can expect to see the “excessive” use of any of these criminalized in due time, and due time is RIGHT NOW if you believe the fanatics.

Every time a law is written or a dollar is spent in government we should ask: “Am I willing to throw people in jail for not complying?”

Because that is a possibility: failure to comply is a jailable offense in many of these cases. Or the possibility of impoverishing people.

We live in a world now where stealing, assaulting people, or burning down businesses can often be done without consequence. But “misgendering” somebody might get you a visit from the police. Attending a Latin Mass might put you on an FBI watchlist.

The UK is a bit ahead of us on this path, but not very far. Another Joe Biden term and who knows where we will be?