From each according to his ability...........

....to each according to his need.

Those are the most evil words that can be spoken in an economical, political or a philosophical arena.  Right now, I am in the the process of reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.  It's the fourth time that I've read this literary masterpiece and it certainly won't be the last.

This book is an insight on what can happen when government places its boot on the neck of those who produce in society.  When government insists on regulating business for the sake of power, for the sake of some crazy 'greater good' the producers of the world will simply stop producing.

I can not understand how it comes to pass that people can not see that the achievement of man is not outside of nature, but very much within it.  Man is of nature, not outside of it and as a part of the natural order, our achievements are just as natural to it.

Nature itself has its way of recovering from any harm that an accident may cause (the deepwater drilling incident in the Gulf which turned out to be pretty much a non-event, but not caused by private industry but caused by an over-regulatory practice forcing drilling so far off shore in the first place) and nature has a way of righting itself when it's disturbed.

The greatest evil that a person can do is not live up to his/her potential.  To sit idle while living off the backs of those who are productive is unimaginable.  The Soviet Union tried the 'great experiment' of Communism and look what happened?  Even China learned a lesson and has somewhat of a mixed economy, though the middle class is non existent, as there are only the wealthy and the impoverished.  They buy equipment but have no one competent to run it.  Why should anyone learn and produce when the state will take care of them?

In order for Communism to exist, the severe violation of individual rights has to occur.  There can be no freedom  because in freedom there is an acknowledged right to one's property.  The only way that a communist government can exist is by force because people will never choose to work simply for the sake of others without some sort of return on their earnings.  That my friends, is a basic human right, to earn a living for your sake and your needs according to which abilities you choose to nurture and take of advantage of and it's your choice to spend your money in ways that you personally value.

I realize that this comes somewhat out of left field for me, but hey, it's my blog so I'll write what I choose!

HA!!

Seriously though, when you hear the phrase, 'from each according to his ability, to each according to his need,' ask yourself this:

Who determines ability?  By what right?
Who determines one's need?  By what right?

The only person that has the right to determine these things is the individual himself.

**  note, I use the terms 'man' and himself or his in a non-gender meaning.  Of course all of this applies to the women as well!


Until next time.......