SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2009
Cooperation or Violence – Our Choices
The Progressive movement, which I will define as the achievement of social goals through legislation, has been a moving factor in politics for well over one hundred years in the United States. The goals of the Progressive movement have been to achieve what they generally define as morally justified ends through the enactment of laws at the State and Federal level. The Progressive movement is most identified with the Democratic Party which has made Government intervention in social issues a cornerstone of its platform. In recent years however, the Republican Party has also become attached to Progressive social issues through its alliance with Christian fundamentalists desiring Government enforcement of their religious and moral agendas.
One of the initial elements of the Progressive ideology was rectifying unjust laws which violated the concepts of Life, Liberty and Property – laws such as restricting the right to vote to only males.
In the Progressive movement there was always another non-liberty element, the achievement of social goals through Government action. Compelling change in people’s lives based not upon energizing them into voluntary action, but via law forcing them to live their lives in certain ways. A change brought about not by reason, logic, or social cooperation but rather the coercion and violence of the law. A change funded not through the free market or charity but through the Government’s seizing of rightfully earned income and property.
Today, for example we are faced with laws desiring to create a National Health Care Program, forcing changes in the type of energy we use, defining how we educate our children, where we are allowed to wash our cars and hundreds of others. In each case the law defines an injustice or social goal and demands our compliance and resources to fix the problem – noncompliance with the decrees of the State is unacceptable and always punishable by law.
I stand amazed that Progressives, who recognize so much Injustice in their world, have no hesitation about using Injustice to achieve their ends. They see no moral contradiction in righting their perceived wrongs via instituting another wrong – using the force and tyranny of the State upon others.
Thus the value system of the entire Progressive movement and most of what we now call Government is nothing more than inflicting Injustice upon others in the name of Justice! Using the violence of the State and its police powers to subjugate others to their point of view.
Here is a simple test to determine whether or not legislation proposed by Government or some group prevents or creates an Injustice. Does the new law achieve its ends by giving to some and taking from others what is rightfully theirs? Is the program optional or does non-compliance bring criminal penalties and monetary fines? Does the program take away your liberties and freedoms and replace them with increased Government powers? If the answer is “Yes” then you can correctly conclude that Justice, Liberty, and Freedom will suffer.
It is simple enough: The only valid application of Force is to prevent violation of the individual Right to Life, Liberty, and Property. Any other use of Force creates an Injustice. We, as individuals, have long rejected violence in achieving our personal goals. We must also reject using Government violence in achieving our social goals.