In Free Market Competition against Socialism, People Buy Socialism
Just a short thought today, instead of my normal four and five page essays:
Let me ask whether there is an inherent and innate weakness of democracy: namely, that free enterprise encourages as if by natural selection, the creation of a large number of consumer-minded short-sighted and unthrifty individuals. It encourages selfishness. In times of rough going, among a Christian society, the Church and the nature of reality keep the innate selfishness endemic to capitalism in check. But when times are fat, and Christianity is despised as being too judgmental and harsh and unscientific, nothing keeps the selfishness in check.
The theory runs that selfishness naturally begets socialism, since the appeal of socialism is that another man not only pays for your living, he also pays for your altruism, so you get the lifestyle of a robber AND the self esteem of a philanthropist. Under socialism, the Ayn Rand-style looter-moochers bathes in the glowing self-esteem of self-righteousness, because he favors forcing other man then himself to do right by the poor and oppressed. It is, from a purely game theory point of view, a win-win situation. And all one need to do is sell one’s soul, that is, renounce integrity of character and logical coherence of thought (a renunciation which all modern philosophy, by no coincidence, stands ready and eager to aid one to do.)
My worry about democracy is as old as democracy. John Adams fretted that the wealth a system that prospers would create would corrupt the system itself.
About John C Wright
John C. Wright is a practicing philosopher, a retired attorney, newspaperman, and newspaper editor, and a published author of science fiction. Once a Houyhnhnm, he was expelled from the august ranks of purely rational beings when he fell in love; but retains an honorary title.
