Monday, May 31, 2010

What did we learn?

Here's the question: what is the single most important lesson that the world learned in the twentieth century? How would you answer? Take a moment to come up with your answer (and potentially reply to this blog).

My answer: Communism doesn't work. In many ways, the twentieth was the century of Communism. It was incubating as the century arrived and was violently placed into action in 1917 in Russia. It was popular in western academic circles throughout the twenties and thirties, and widely considered in political circles in the forties. Following WWII, China and Eastern Europe came under Communist rule followed by several third world countries in later decades. By the early 1980's, nearly one third of the world lived under Communism. But by 1991, the Soviet Union had collapsed, and by the end of the century Communism was rejected in most of the world. Even China, the last significant Communist country, has been aggressively engaging in free market economics. All of the former Soviet countries have market economies. Everyone knows that centrally planned economies don't work.

Or do they? The U.S. has always been the poster child for free markets. Our economy has been the strongest, by far, for decades. Why? Because wealth must be created and people are most creative when they are freest. We've had the freest economy with the least government intervention which has led directly to the most wealth. And yet we find ourselves in the most significant thrust toward socialism in 70 years. Even as European socialism, Obama's role model, is collapsing, this administration is seizing car companies and the health care industry. Is America on an inevitable path to socialism that Marx foresaw?

I think not. First, Americans do not believe in socialism. Obama could never have been elected if he would have been truthful about his beliefs and his intentions. Second, his results have been abysmal. By the time he leaves office, he will be a laughing stock. Third, the European model of socialism is failing. The collapse of Greece is a wake up call for everyone. I believe that Obama's presidency will ultimately be valuable to America for its contrast. It has forced many more Americans into thinking about the fundamentals of our country. Five years from now, the Obama presidency will have been a bad dream. Americans will have a clearer view of the principles that have made our country exceptional and will support politicians who pledge to return us to them.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Wrong tool for the job

When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

Americans have always been these independent, can-do folks. Creative. Whatever it takes. But more recently I see an America in which the Government will take care of it for you. Homeless folks? The Salvation Army could help. Or an inner city church mission. But most expect the Government to handle it. The Government is there to handle everything, from responding to a natural disaster to deciding what kind of light bulb I should buy. For many, the first response to any and every societal issue is for the government to fix it.

But there are only a few things the Government is really good at. People have natural gifting. One has a knack for brightening another's day. Another is just the person to get something done. Government's natural gifting is to force people to do things they don't want to do. Government is about law. The legislative branch makes laws. The judicial branch makes judgment calls on disputes over gray areas in the law. The executive branch carries out the law.

So consider what a law is: a mechanism to force people to do what they otherwise would not do except for the threat of fine, imprisonment or death.

Government is fundamentally coercive by nature. If people behave in the desired manner without the threat of force, no law is necessary. Others such as artists, authors, educators and preachers change public behavior by changing thinking and values. Then people freely change behaviors based on their beliefs. The Government solution is much more heavy handed. And it's just the right tool for some cases. It's not acceptable to shoot your neighbor if his loud music annoys you. So we make that illegal with a stiff penalty. But it's the wrong tool for so, so many things.

Every single law that is passed removes some liberty from someone. Most laws remove some liberty from everyone. Every law. Every law is coercive. Forced behavior modification. It's like spanking - effective but to be used sparingly. Government is not the right tool for every job.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Everybody loves Nancy