Citizen Tom

This is the fifth part of a six-part essay.  Here are the six parts.

• Why Did I Write This Series?
• Capitalism Versus Socialism And The Culture War?
• What Does The Bible Say About Private Property?
• What Is The Problem With Collectives?
• When Is Socialism the Best Moral Choice?
• When Is Capitalism The Best Moral Choice?

When Is Socialism the Best Moral Choice?

Before we can answer this question, we must do four things.

• Properly define socialism.
• Acknowledge what we actually need (not want) from government.
• Consider the threat.
• Pose a solution.

The Definition of Socialism

Consider the definition below.

socialism
n 1: a political theory advocating state ownership of industry
2: an economic system based on state ownership of capital [syn:
socialist economy] [ant: capitalism]

We tend to think of socialism and capitalism as polar opposites.  Some laud Socialism as being based upon unselfishness whereas capitalism is the economics of selfishness.  Others note the inefficiency of socialism.   These people also point out a problem with giving the government the ownership of industry.   When government owns everything, our too often not so unselfish leaders own us.

In practice we have an economic system that is a compromise between socialism and capitalism.  Many suggest that any economic system exists somewhere on the continuum between socialism and capitalism, but that is not exactly true.  There are many ways besides ownership for government to exercise control over the economy.  Look at our tax code, for example.  Federal, state, and local governments use reams of paper to document a tax code that influences where we shop and what we buy.  How many people buy instead of rent just for that tax break that allows us to deduct the interest on our mortgage?

As defined, the term socialism simply does adequately describe how government can control property and people.  As we shall see, ownership is an unnecessary luxury.  Instead of owning our property (or us) outright, government can selectively tax, subsidize, regulate, and indoctrinate.   Instead of owning, government can use carrots and sticks, and if that does not work, government can just tell us what to do and punish us when we do not obey.

Without appearing to be as powerful as they actually happen to be, our leaders can exercise enormous power.  If all that matters is power and control, ownership is a luxury.

Power and control over others are what some people seek above all else.  Since we call such people busybodies, we may as well call their ideology Busybodyism.   Can we also cease using the term socialism?  No.

What Do We Need From Government?

Our nation’s founders defined what we need from government quite concisely in the Declaration of Independence.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. –That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,… (from here)

We do not need government to educate us, feed us, provide us medical care, give us money in retirement, protect us from poverty… We do not need government to give us things.  We need government to protect our rights.  In fact, whenever government gives us things, government has to violate the rights of some of our fellow citizens.  When government gives us things, it takes from our fellow citizens.   So when we demand that government give us something, we are demanding a government that threatens the rights of our fellow citizens.

What Is The Threat?

We are the threat.  We each tend to be a control freak or a busybody, and politicians are most likely the worst amongst us (see here).  We want the comfort of an assured solution.  We do not like to depend upon the decisions of others.  We want to be certain that other people will make the “right decision.”   So rather than relying upon our neighbors to decide what is best for themselves, we can be easily tempted to accept the promises of political opportunists (See this post for more on political opportunists.).   Instead of doing what is best for the country, political opportunists promise us what we want.   We give them more power, and, maybe, we each get some part of what we wanted.

Within republics, subtlety has always been a large part of the art of grasping for power.  When Julius Caesar took over the Roman Empire, he did so with obvious intent.  His opponents killed him.  Because Caesar made it so readily apparent that he would be end of the Roman Republic, his enemies feared him.   To avoid posing so obvious a threat, Caesar’s nephew, Octavius (as Augustus), maintained a facade.   He formally returned power to the Roman Senate.  In theory he relinquished his control of the Roman provinces and their armies.  The new Augustus chose to  hold onto the strings of power via other less obvious means.

Thus calmed, the citizens of Rome accepted dictatorship.  The Augustus quietly assumed the reins, restored order, and skillfully soothed hurt feelings.  After all, the new Augustus was only the first amongst equals.   With minimal fuss, the Roman Republic quietly died.

In our quest for material things and nice little perks, we easily forget the reasons behind traditions.  Remember for a moment the celebration of Christmas, that day less than a month ago.  For how many of us has the birth of Christ faded into Santa Claus and Christmas Trees?   Just as we too easily forget the reason for the season (and have to be reminded), we also forget the reason we need our government.  Then, instead of having a government that protects our Rights, including Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness; we end up with a government that gives us things.

So When Is Socialism The Best Moral Choice?

Unfortunately, socialism is sometimes necessary.  Sometimes the government must own and operate institutions.   Yet whenever we think about government, we must remember that government exists only to protect our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  Government does not exist just so we can impose our will (or supposed solution) on others.   Wherever we use power of government, we should use the minimum amount of government required to get the job done.

Government power is required when an individual’s free choice would unacceptably infringe on the rights of others. For example, we cannot allow bank robbers, or those lawfully accused of bank robbery, their freedom.  Because even suspected bank robbers cannot be trusted, in such instances we have no choice except to have appointed public servants restrain the accused.   Even so, to keep the power of government officials in check, we have juries.  Whenever possible, we defuse power from government leaders.

Look back into our history.  At the time of our nation’s founding, all the institutions of government were unavoidably government institutions.  What private concern can be trusted to run their own private army, police, court system, or to set up our nation’s currency?  Although all these things have existed (and still do).  Nevertheless, without firm government regulation, private armies, private police, private court systems, and private currencies can too easily raise havoc.

Government power is also required when no private alternative exists. Efficient commerce requires government regulation, not necessarily government ownership.  Without laws against fraud, for example, commerce between strangers becomes extremely difficult.  Imagine, for example, being on the road and being stopped to pay tolls on unregulated private roads.  Imagine not being able to trust the restaurants.   What if you had no idea what was in the food or even whether it was safe to eat?

Because we have the right to travel, we need roads and government exercises powers such as the right of eminent domain.  Nonetheless, consider the conundrum we have put ourselves in.  We all pay for roads we will never use.  Why do citizens in Florida pay for a road in Alaska?  The reason is that we have placed no checks on the powers of our leaders.  We give them our money and let them freely choose how to spend it.  When toll roads were still common, we did not give our leaders our money to spend until we were ready to drive on the road.   So the roads went where we needed them to go.

Because they benefit the safety and security of all, and no private organization could run them profitably (or fairly), we have such things as the National Weather Service and the Center For Disease Control and Prevention.

Conclusion

There is no simple straightforward rule that clearly defines in every case when government needs to own and operate, needs to tax, needs to subsidized or needs to indoctrinate.   Our Constitution resulted only after years of debate and the failure of the Articles of Confederation.  Because we have no clear solution, we will always argue.

Nevertheless, each of us needs to examine carefully our own motives.  Are we insisting on a government solution because we are just being busybodies?  Are we concerned about our neighbor’s rights or are we just trying to get what we want?  If the truth is the latter, then we each need to remember that if we get what we want we will be the poorer for it.

Continued — When Is Capitalism The Best Moral Choice?