Context for spread of Socialism: Equality
Reality for spread of Socialism: Fraternity
While usually discussed in economic terms: socialism being versus laissez faire markets the truth is much broader in scope. The French Revolution was the first to join equality and fraternity together with a form of socialism under the false flag of liberty; a cover palpable to the general populace. This formula is still used today, even in America. However, all the slogans, the promises and the countless millions of lives sacrificed the reality remains the same. Governments fear sinners.
In my post, Purpose of Government: Control, I detailed how and why Cain developed the first government: to control sinners in order to survive. This is ludicrous to non-Christians and those who are doctrinally deficient Christians. Most people act as if government just sprang from the ground out of nothing, similar to an evolutionist’s view of life’s beginnings; however, government had a tangible start and creator just as life. Government is the means whereby the corporate body seeks to control individuals in order to survive and expand its sphere of control, perpetuating its morality onto others. Cain, and all governments since, fear individuals sinners; even loose coalitions operating for mutual benefit. Why? Because it knows that unless there is control individual and loose coalitions of sinners will devolve into annihilation of society. In most respects this view is correct. Did not Cain, as an individual, kill Abel, also an individual, because God accepted Abel over him? Since he was the father of urban society he developed government to provide order to perpetuate his society. Fast forward to the industrial revolution.
For the first time in history individuals could become powerful apart from government in both wealth and political power. These individuals were outside the government, operating in a sphere foreign to government: economics. Adam Smith’s, The Wealth of Nations, developed the idea of laissez faire economics; i.e., that individuals could live with far less government control. This book was his view of utopia and it assigned a minimal role to government contrary to past history. For the short term laissez faire appeared to work when it was allowed; however, no one really understood why it worked. Herein is the biblical view of why it works.
Ten Words Arranged as Given by God
Covetousness is the basis for all sin
The above graphic shows that covetousness is the basis of all sin. Woman in the Garden wanted knowledge: covetousness. Cain wanted to be accepted by God: covetousness. Any sin one experiences begins with covetousness; why, even Lucifer coveted as he wanted to be God (Is 14:13-15). The lust of the eye, lust of the flesh and the pride of life are simply the three modes of satisfying covetousness (1Jo 2:15-16). Government is right to fear individual covetousness because it results in violence on a personal and societal scale (Ja 4:1-3). To governments, meaning those persons who are the governments, this was suicidal; the cat out of the bag which would destroy society. However, laissez faire was successful precisely because it provided a means for individuals to satisfy they covetousness nondestructively based on individual ability and opportunity. The premise: if people could satisfy their primary covetous goals apart from violence not only would society be preserved but all persons in that society could benefit also. Now, government had another fear. It had to contend with a growing power outside of its sphere of control. Since government knows only the use of force for control it feared economic powerhouses. Monarchial governments were too weak to control these businesses which were enriching society as they could not; yet, government needs economics for it is the lifeblood of governmental power. The French Revolution was the crude attempt of government to absolutely control every aspect of society which the monarchy could not. It failed because it did not understand covetousness. By removing the incentive of business and its attendant success, this new form of socialist government starved itself of capital and unleashed the violence that accompanies unrequited covetousness. However, it did pass on the secret of how government could co-opt both businesses and people via its slogan of: Liberty, Fraternity and Equality!
Tocqueville saw the essence of socialism
All elements of society under government
The promoters of socialism first had to learn how to limit and then eliminate laissez faire economics, which they did not understand; this was the major focus of 19th century Europe and America. The people were co-opted into accepting socialism under the guise of equality while governments were enlisted under the slogan of fraternity. Liberty was simply a term to beguile the holdouts of the equality slogan. The essence of socialism is the complete control of all elements of society. The lie of socialism is the promise to remove the motive of profit; i.e., to control covetousness peacefully. This is only possible if people are not sinners and are able to act for the betterment of everyone. However, sin is rebellion against God; as such, it is the promotion of the individual at the expense of others. When this cannot be achieved by other means violence results. Socialism, with its claims that people will work for nothing for the betterment of others, actually promotes a modern slavery. In this sense equality is achieved as all but the ruling elite are slaves to socialism. The first two years of the Plymouth colony proved the fallacy of socialism: people starved and died. When laissez faire market forces were unleashed the colony celebrated the first Thanksgiving, and with the surrounding Indians in peace! What of fraternity?
Governments Need Finances
Governments Need Businesses
Governments produce nothing. In fact, governments are the biggest drain on wealth produced by people in the form of both taxes and expropriated wealth {booty captured from other governments}. With the advent of the industrial age governments were slow to understand how to tap into businesses. Fortunately for governments, businesses provided the answer. Businesses that were less efficient, therefore less successful, sought to control business competition. All attempts of control at the business level failed. They did not have the means of control. By the latter 19th century American businesses co-opted the post Civil War centralized federal government into controlling competition for them. This lead to both the beginning of the Progressive Era {American peaceful socialism} via what we today call: crony capitalism. These businesses are the milk cows providing governments with tax revenues and products, especially military products. This unholy marriage of government and business is socialism. The above graphic promotes the false dilemma that government monies help the poor when in fact governments need the votes of the poor to maintain the facade of individual choice. The government exchanges benefits for votes but only according to its own rules to insure its poor voter base remains intact. These benefits are taken from those who are successful in their trades and businesses in the form of taxes. This Ponzi scheme works as long as people are able to satisfy their covetous desires via productive means; however, when this system breaks down, as it must, the inevitable result will be violence. As Yuri Maltsev remarked during a Mises lecture, when the government runs out of promises it resorts to bullets to maintain control. He should know as he worked for the Soviet Union before its demise.
The 20th century saw the widespread growth of national socialism in America, Europe and Asia at the expense of millions of lives. Since the destructiveness of wars left nothing to control, new measures to promote socialism came to the fore such as the Fabian Society and Open Society Foundation. Yet, for all the rhetoric social violence predominates in every country. Why? Laissez faire, the pressure vent of covetousness, is pretty much gone. People agitate for socialism; they beg for governments to control them. As their passions are unleashed they debase themselves wrecking further violence (Ga 5:19-21). Socialists see true Christianity as its real enemy because the Gospel offers what governments cannot: peace, love, joy, kindness, goodness, etc. (Ga 5:22-24). These are the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel offers what neither socialism nor laissez faire can offer: life forevermore free from all sin, including covetousness.