"Have I made myself clear? If not, I will repeat for the third time, and in its briefest terms, the formula which is the kernel of my whole thesis.
The Capitalist State breeds a Collectivist theory which in action produces something utterly different from Collectivism: to wit, the Servile State."
(Hilaire Belloc The Servile State)
The Capitalist State breeds a Collectivist theory which in action produces something utterly different from Collectivism: to wit, the Servile State."
(Hilaire Belloc The Servile State)
1. I believe in property.
2. I believe in the right of private citizens to own property.
3. I do not believe that a healthy economy can exist in any society when the majority of its citizens are dispossessed of ownership.
4. I believe that not only property, but also the tools of production, should be as widely distributed to, and owned by as many private citizens as possible.
4. I believe that not only property, but also the tools of production, should be as widely distributed to, and owned by as many private citizens as possible.
5. I believe that the control of the majority of private property and the tools of production by a few rich and powerful people or corporations is detrimental to the economy and opposed to the dignity of the private citizen.
6. I do not believe that Capitalism is good.
7. I believe that Capitalism is rooted in greed.
8. I believe that Capitalism, unchecked, leads automatically to the dispossession of the majority of private ownership, and instead vests the ownership and control of property and the tools of production in the hands of a few wealthy individuals and corporations.
9. I believe that Capitalism, by creating a Proletarian State, breeds, in Belloc's words, a Collectivist theory.
10. I believe that Capitalism is opposed to freedom and the native dignity of the human person.
11. I believe that Capitalism is an inherently unstable economic theory, which automatically tends toward self-destruction.
12. I do not believe that Capitalism is the economic savior of the world.
13. I do not believe that Capitalism is divinely inspired.
14. I believe that Capitalism is bad.
Unfortunately, the momentous events cited above, coupled with Capitalist greed and political control, have relegated these clear voices and intelligent thinkers to oblivion, and left us with an artificial choice between to evils.
However, I firmly believe that whenever we are presented with two courses, both of which are bad, and both of which lead to destruction, it is incumbent upon us, before trying to determine which is the lesser of two evils, to first strive to ascertain whether or not there might be some third way, unknown to us; perhaps untried, perhaps long forgotten.
I listen to the arguments of fellow citizen, political legerdemain, presidential debates, the rhetoric and ideas of liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, right and left, Socialists and Capitalists; and I feel convinced that both sides are utterly missing the point.
Do we really have only two options, or is there a third option? Not only is there a third option, but is it perhaps possible that this option may not even be new? An option that may have in various ways been tried in the past, and to varying degrees been been proved successful? And is it not imperative now, that we earnestly search out this third option, adapt it as necessary, and apply it to our present situation?
More on this to come.
6. I do not believe that Capitalism is good.
7. I believe that Capitalism is rooted in greed.
8. I believe that Capitalism, unchecked, leads automatically to the dispossession of the majority of private ownership, and instead vests the ownership and control of property and the tools of production in the hands of a few wealthy individuals and corporations.
9. I believe that Capitalism, by creating a Proletarian State, breeds, in Belloc's words, a Collectivist theory.
10. I believe that Capitalism is opposed to freedom and the native dignity of the human person.
11. I believe that Capitalism is an inherently unstable economic theory, which automatically tends toward self-destruction.
12. I do not believe that Capitalism is the economic savior of the world.
13. I do not believe that Capitalism is divinely inspired.
14. I believe that Capitalism is bad.
***
There, I have said it: "I believe that Capitalism is bad." And I choose to make this statement here, within the context of this post, hoping that those who read this statement will also read far enough to understand precisely what I mean, and why I am opposed to Capitalism. If I were to make such a statement on my Facebook page, or on some other public forum, I would no doubt be harshly criticized by many and generally misunderstood on all sides.
I remember once having dinner with some family members, and making a comment which was critical of our present abusive, laissez-faire, mega-corporate Capitalism. A family member retorted quickly, and somewhat accusingly, "Well! Socialism doesn't work very well, either." The obvious assumption was that if I was not a Capitalist, then I must be a Socialist.
I sincerely hope that those of you reading this post will have read the preceding lines carefully enough, that the clear statements of my firm belief in the widespread ownership of private property will be sufficient to dispel any misconception that I am a Socialist. I am emphatically not a Socialist. If further clarification is needed, allow me to add one more clause to my creed:
15. I believe that Socialism is bad.
Nonetheless, the assumption is an easy one to make, and the unfortunate notion still persists that there are only two viable economic theories in the world--Socialism and Capitalism-- and that if one is not a Capitalist, one must automatically be a Socialist.
There may be many reasons why this artificial dilemma exists, but surely the events of the last century, in particular the revolutions, political and social upheavals that have marked the last one hundred years of world history, are sufficient to explain this erroneous dichotomy. The Marxist economic theories of the late nineteenth century, the Bolshevist Revolution of 1917, two World Wars, Cuba, the Russian missile crisis and the Cold War, Vietnam and Korea: all these tumultuous events have forced upon our consciousness in various ways the great evils of Communist Collectivism. And each time we see the the victorious foes of Communism in the Capitalist nations of the West. There is an old adage that says that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. This statement, however, is dangerously false. The enemy of my enemy may not be my friend at all, and may at times be little more than an uneasy ally. However, this battle between Capitalism and Communism has cast these two ideas into ever sharper relief, drowned out any voice that calls for a third option, and left most of us with the dreadfully false idea that Capitalism is our friend, and the friend of all those who would be politically, socially, and economically free.
I should pause to note here that I am not confusing Communism with Socialism (or else I shall be soundly condemned for ignorance!), but I shall clarify my interchangeable use of these terms in a later post.
Had the events of last century been different, we might have found ourselves living in a very different world today. Prior to, and for some decades after the Bolshevist Revolution, many writers, thinkers, and workers raised clear and intelligent voices against the evils of Capitalism, while simultaneously condemning Socialism, and offering a viable third alternative.
Unfortunately, the momentous events cited above, coupled with Capitalist greed and political control, have relegated these clear voices and intelligent thinkers to oblivion, and left us with an artificial choice between to evils.
However, I firmly believe that whenever we are presented with two courses, both of which are bad, and both of which lead to destruction, it is incumbent upon us, before trying to determine which is the lesser of two evils, to first strive to ascertain whether or not there might be some third way, unknown to us; perhaps untried, perhaps long forgotten.
I listen to the arguments of fellow citizen, political legerdemain, presidential debates, the rhetoric and ideas of liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, right and left, Socialists and Capitalists; and I feel convinced that both sides are utterly missing the point.
Do we really have only two options, or is there a third option? Not only is there a third option, but is it perhaps possible that this option may not even be new? An option that may have in various ways been tried in the past, and to varying degrees been been proved successful? And is it not imperative now, that we earnestly search out this third option, adapt it as necessary, and apply it to our present situation?
More on this to come.
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