I have received more comments
from readers concerning my trip to Cuba. From the comments I could pretty much
distinguish between those readers who were more politically progressive and
those who were more conservative. The more progressive comments expressed a
curiosity about specific aspects of the Cuban people – their life, culture,
education, health, and arts. The more conservative concentrated their comments
on Cuba’s system of government, especially the socialistic economic system, or
on a general defense of capitalism to the point of stating that capitalism is
biblical (thus Christian?) and socialism wasn’t.
I’ve heard it said there is a
Christian basis for capitalism. But one can find biblical verses to support
socialism as well. Often, I hear quoted as a biblical reference that supports
capitalism, “God helps those who help themselves.” That quote is from Benjamin
Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanac not
from the Bible.
There are really two major
economic systems: socialism and capitalism. One of the “Aha” moments I had
while in Cuba was recognition of the singular flaw in both of these major economic systems.
In the U.S. we do not have a true
capitalistic system. We have a government-assisted form of capitalism just like
Europe. The only difference is that our government-assisted capitalism is
designed to support corporations and their shareholders. In Europe, their
government-assisted capitalism is generally designed to protect the “little
guy.”
But both socialism and
capitalism have this one flaw: These are theoretical systems. Everybody
in the society has to subscribe to the system – and I mean everybody; every
single person – for it to work.
What happens when people don’t?
They are beat down to a pulp. In fascist or communist governments with a
socialistic form of economy, this “beating down” often takes the form of
physical violence. Dissidents are threatened, hurt, imprisoned, and even
killed. We in the USA and other major capitalistic countries like Spain and
England have also done this when we dealt with colonists, with native
Americans, with unions, and others. Governments were called in through their
control of the National Guard to support the industrial community. All you have to do is read about the
miner/trucker/longshoremen strikes here or read Oliver Twist or A Christmas
Carol to see how society was skewed to support those fully engaged in the
practice of their version of capitalism.
I remember a lady from France in
Saint Augustine, where she would spend the winter, who could not understand why
people would put up with “bad food” in grocery stores. The “good” food, i.e.,
organic, was very expensive or unavailable. In the course of her comments she
made a poignant statement: “Here in the U.S. people seem to be afraid of big business
and the government. In Europe big business and the government are afraid of the
people.”
But generally, we “beat down”
those who don’t participate fully in our economic systems by marginalizing,
taxing, and controlling their behavior in inhumane ways to prevent their
“drain” on our resources. When I was a
Street Minister in Trenton, NJ in the late 1960s I worked with these
marginalized folks. People trying to use their incentive to add to their income,
were taxed at a 100% rate! If the social worker found out that they were
earning an additional $75 a month from taking in ironing, for example, they
would have the family’s benefits cut by $75. Additionally, they would be blamed
for “trying to cheat the system.” It was insane. Poor people often hold menial
jobs and are dependent on public transportation, while factory jobs are moved
to the outskirts of urban areas increasing transportation costs and travel time
– both of which can become unbearable to someone earning the minimum wage.
Abortion restrictions apply
mainly to those who are dependent on government assistance. Wealthier folks
will find a way to take care of their daughters – they’ll send them away for an
abortion or send them away to a “private school” to have their baby and give it
up for adoption. The poor family simply has to take care of their child (or the
teenager and her child) – further impeding the family’s attempt to climb out of
their economic hole. But we don’t want to teach sex education or have
contraception available. We want them to be forced into having their babies,
and it’s the children who will suffer. Poor children will have improper diets
and inadequate health care and do poorly in school. After all, it’s difficult
for children to concentrate in school when they are hungry or ill. It is almost
a self-fulfilling prophecy or a perfect circular argument: We don’t need to
spend time and money on the poor because they only end up in menial jobs and
are a “drain” on our economy. See! We haven’t spent money on them and, sure
enough, they are not amounting to very much. Case proved. Case closed.
I’m reminded of a quote from the
Code of Hammurabi. It was the source of the overriding legalistic system in
Mesopotamia circa 2,000 BCE. This was the time of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in
the Old Testament. Many of the practices we read about in Genesis stem from
this Code of Law: The legal treatment of Ishmael, Abraham’s son by Hagar who
was Sarah’s handmaiden; Abraham’s treatment of Sarah as his sister rather than
as his wife; the codes and practices of inheritance. All these were from the Code of Hammurabi,
which had as a major tenet: “The first
duty of government is to protect the powerless from the powerful.”
We need to stop believing
capitalism, as an economic system, is some form of a gift from God. It is what
it is – an economic system. So is socialism. Socialism needs to adapt in order to
honor, support and encourage the efforts of the individual. Capitalism needs to
always be aware of and tempered by the practice of protecting the powerless
from the powerful. When this is not done we end up with a system where 10% of
the population owns more capital that the remaining 90%. That becomes a moral
issue, and, if not addressed, will become the downfall of our democratic society,
as we know it.
Although these messages are
mostly for me, thanks for listening. As always – feel free to forward this
message to your friends, family, and those accompanying you on your spiritual
journey.
Don
#3 June 2015
Copyright 2015
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