Capitalism Reflects Judeo-Christian Values
Capitalism is natural and exothermic, Socialism and Marxism are unnatural and endothermic.
So many of our issues arise through lack of a common understating of our morals and values. Some would say that is represented by a decline in the character of individuals, and I do ascribe to that view, at least partially.
But I have seen people who are “bad” act in ethical ways. In fact, that is the genesis of the “anti-hero” of TV and movies, the terribly flawed individual, a gunslinger who goes about everything the wrong way – but does the right thing in the end, even if he must stumble into it.
When I think of morals and ethics, my mind turns to religion and the things I learned in Sunday School in New Albany, Mississippi. In the 60’s and 70’s religion was still about God and not about selling some sort of pagan virtue signaling, somewhere in the 80’s churches decided they needed entertainment to put butts in the pews and became more concerned about garnering eyeballs than teaching the actual Word.
I guess it was inevitable churches would become politicized and subject to fads and flavors of the month.
For several decades now, organized religion in America has been making common cause with socialism and Marxism – which is odd, given that Marxism preaches the end of religion. But that hasn’t impeded preachers, pastors and priests pontificating that various forms of collectivism - in the name of “social justice” of course, is Christ-like.
In truth, capitalism, not socialism, reflects Judeo-Christian values. Christians would be less likely to embrace socialism if they understood that the economic philosophy of Ayn Rand is compatible with Christianity.
I was digging around in my graveyard of forgotten stuff and found something I had excerpted from an article somewhere – I can’t find the information to cite it, but it was directly on point:
In the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle speaks of a general form of justice that encompasses all virtue. Describing general justice, Aristotle writes: “It is complete virtue and excellence in the fullest sense… It is complete because he who possesses it can make use of his virtue not only by himself but also in his relations with his fellow men; for there are many people who can make use of their virtue in their own affairs, but who are incapable of using it in their relations with others.”
Thomas Aquinas, a renowned Catholic philosopher adopted a form of Aristotle’s idea of general justice. Eventually, the Catholic Church attempted to modernize Aristotle and Aquinas’ idea of general justice by calling it “social justice.”
The Catholic Church developed the term primarily to help explain justice in a modern society that was moving from farming to more complex forms of production and human interaction. As Michael Novak with the Heritage Foundation pointed out, Pope Leo XIII specifically slammed socialism and praised the natural differences in talents and abilities among human beings as beneficial to society.
Novak explained how, over time, progressives warped the term “social justice” to mean “equality” (redistribution of wealth and resources based on arithmetic, not individual production), the “common good” (determined by federal bureaucrats) and “compassion” (forced sharing).
Today, numerous pastors are preaching a version of social justice that is basically no different from socialism. I encourage Christians to exchange the convoluted idea of “social justice” for “capitalism.”
Katie Kieffer, columnist at Townhall dot com, further argues that if there is a God, He is a capitalist, not a socialist:
“That said, one may not believe in any “god” and still claim to be rational. For example, one cannot believe that God condones socialism because socialism is inherently irrational and violates natural law.”
Natural law (that which we know through reason alone) tells us that private property and freedom are inherent human rights. Aquinas writes in his Treatise on Law that all human laws must stem from natural law: “But if in any point it [human law] deflects from the law of nature, it is no longer a law but a perversion of the law.”
Jesus did not say: “Blessed are the wicked, for they shall obtain equal salvation.” Jesus did not tell Caesar: “Take 90 percent from the wealthy and redistribute it among the poor.” Jesus’ own biblical teachings were capitalistic in nature. So, if you claim to be a rational Christian, you must admit that Jesus is a capitalist.
The reference to Aquinas and Natural Law got me thinking about the Summa Theologica (written between 1265 and 1274) and the wisdom there. Why is Natural Law important? It is because it is the basis for the founding ideals of our nation is enshrined in the Declaration of Independence:
“When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation…”
I’ve made the case for a long time that capitalism works because it is natural – it doesn’t require some overweening entity to patrol and control it. If I apply scientific terminology, capitalism is exothermic, it produces more energy that it consumes.
Collectivism is not natural. It adds waste and sucks up productivity. It is endothermic, it requires energy to survive.
If we lose capitalism, we will lose everything else.
I always write in a stream of consciousness. Rarely, do I ever put anything together that gets proofread before it gets posted - they get created in real time. Thanks so much for the compliment. It is much appreciated., especially since I suck at proofreading.
Michael - if you do not mind I'd like to use - 'the graveyard of forgotten stuff'. I feel that is so appropriate given what passes for news these days. I am amazed by those that only listen to the flavor news of the day...
As always - great article and I agree.