Wednesday, May 4, 2011

The Middle Class Problem

John Hayward on the greatest enemy of collectivism -- the middle class.

The central belief of collectivists is that a nation’s affairs are best addressed by the central State, rather than the choices of individual citizens. They believe this to varying degrees – from high taxes leveled against an otherwise free market, to the outright nationalization of industries, and the passage of regulations that control many aspects of everyday life. Their purposes range from the benevolent to the terrible, but they are united in their belief that the State should be in control, not the humble executor of duties assigned by sovereign citizens.

The collectivist does not believe he is a supporter of tyranny, because tyranny is whimsical, while social engineers have a plan. They are out to Win The Future. They are the harbingers of social justice, clean energy, income equality, and other noble goals that society must be compelled to embrace, for free men and women are not wise enough to choose these things on their own.

The great obstacle facing social engineers is resistance. The re-distribution of wealth is an act of aggression against those who provide the wealth. The forced transition to a planned economy produces high unemployment, for the central State will never be as good at assigning jobs as a great body of free people, seeking each other out for mutual advantage. Movement to a virtuous regime of “alternative” energy results in a lower level of energy for society, because the old fossil fuels are vastly more powerful and convenient. Many people will naturally be unhappy with these effects of social engineering. Their unhappiness grows as more force is deployed against them.

The rest here.

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