CSIA  Analysis Report:

Recently our government is obsessed with the foolish concept of redistributing wealth. Admittedly this idea is the product of Marxist and socialist thinking. Its current adherents in the federal government have their thoughts rooted in the 1960s and 1970s radicals. Groups of young people in organizations like SDS (Students for a Democratic Society), Weathermen, Communist Party, and the Black Panthers believed and taught that injustice in America was the product of race politics and capitalist (or imperialist) thinking. They hoped to overthrow the capitalist American systems of government and commerce and replace it with class politics where dictators demanded complete control and established “justice” for the “oppressed peoples of America and the world.”

Let’s take one of their ideas, redistributing wealth, and see where it leads and how it might work. They advocate a strong government of the “right thinking” few who would use their power to take wealth from the rich capitalist and give it to the poor and oppressed. They wanted to be governmental Robin Hoods. Rich capitalists are loosely defined as Americans who are “rich.” These are people who are financially wealthy and those who currently manage and direct large industry, successful businesses, and governmental protection agencies, to include the military and police forces. The poor and oppressed include: racial minorities, especially black and Latino individuals, American Indians, and anyone of a lower socio-economic standing. They are to be treated as classes of people, so the income or moral character of such individuals do not matter, only their class, race or religion. Necessarily, a part of this revolution is the destruction of our economic and governmental institutions and principles. They demand redistributing “wealth” at the same time a “new world order” is established. This latter is not well defined, except that it is to be socialistic or better yet, communistic. We cannot both protect property rights and dissolve them to compensate another class of citizens.

· Redistribution of wealth logic arises from foreign un-American philosophies of governance and promotes dictatorial power over individual choice, individual rights, and individual equality.

The right of ownership would apply to classes of people not to individuals. Thus “The State”, not individual stockholders would own industry, property, buildings, resources, and wealth in general. Hence “The State” can determine what any individual class of people merits. “The State” will assure social justice happens --- that the oppressed and downtrodden will be wealthy and powerful; the current evil ruling class will be humbled and deprived of goods and services to finally bring historic justice to them. Remember it matters not how needy or downtrodden an individual in the “ruling class” (generally the Anglo Christian male) was or is; because they are the ruling class, they must be brought down, receive less, and pay for historical evil their class supposedly caused. Likewise, it matters not how rich, how successful, or how oppressive one individual in the “oppressed class” may be --- they must be rewarded for past sins against their class and be given more wealth, more power/authority, and more privileges. This concept is closely akin to the “right of nobility” where birth class dictated an individual’s station and occupation in life rather than their innate character and abilities. Back in the American 1700s the ruling class was the British royalty and the oppressed class were the distant colonies.

· Redistribution of wealth among classes is a fundamental American-defined evil. The American founders considered class control of wealth and station evil and oppressive and they offered their lives, fortunes, and honor –to end it. Americans wanted individual character and effort to define ownership and fortune.

Clearly redistribution-thinking places class membership as more important in determining wealth and authority than individual work, individual talents, and individual skills. Your class alone would qualify you for either ownership or victimization. Your class alone motivates Robin Hood. Remember “class” is defined along historical societal lines—race, religion, and birth station in life. The medieval feudal system was a class system. It was not idealistic and fair – it was brutal and unfair.

· Redistribution of wealth is based upon the false belief that class membership rather than individual experience should define your justice.

Let us imagine for a moment that this “social justice” of redistribution of wealth and power is accomplished. Suppose contrary to America’s founding principles that class would matter more than individual ability. Suppose the American Revolution that was fought to end royal titles and classes of people, to end discrimination against people based on classes of religion or national origin – never happened. How will this new world work? Do you suppose that being a member of a class will also make us more able to run industries or national affairs? Will commerce now become uniformly fair and honest and individual financial worth will forever maintain an equitable distribution [at least within classes]? Will being in the new ruling class that is given privilege in the glorious redistribution assure ruling citizens will rule better or more productively than the former ruling class? Have you ever received a monetary gift or special privilege and automatically learned how to run a factory or make a loan or enforce a law? How are these skills redistributed along with class reparation wealth? Will society now run more effectively, more fairly, more justly?

· Redistribution of wealth leads to inefficiency of systems and failure of production.

History shows that when the theme of class justice rather than the principle of individual freedom prevails -- that nation will fail. We have in our lifetime ample evidence that this is true. We have seen the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics fail to produce and prosper. We have seen dictators of the people in Germany and Italy fail. We have seen in older history the Roman republic, the Alexandrine empire, and others fail when individual worth and issues became subservient to class worth and class issues. It is the division of people into classes that leads to war and famine, to injustice and excess. To live within a group based on class equality rather than individual equality sets the emotional prejudices of historical difference above individual charity and individual worth. How can there be justice for a class if there is not justice for each individual in the class?

· Redistribution of wealth has historically led to governmental injustice and the failure of nations.

Americans have historically been generous, just as we have also made mistakes against others. We have shed blood and lost life and treasure for the freedom of other nations. We have given of our means and time to others who have suffered in natural disasters. We have given billions of dollars for the distribution of medical supplies, food, clothing, and water to the less fortunate. To suppose that only governmental redistribution of wealth is capable of redeeming the mistreated and unjustly harmed of the world is a lie. It gives no credit to individual charity and praises only institutional theft for a good purpose. Will Robin Hood keep any of the treasure taken to help the poor? Yes! Will Robin ever make mistakes taking or giving? YES! Will the robbed American, poor and wanting, then still be able to exercise generosity at the same level as before? No! Will Robin Hood always deal justly and not be swayed by politics and special interests? NO! Which makes a character better, giving willingly or being robbed without consent?

· Redistribution of wealth by government does not acknowledge individual or class charity and benevolence. It denies the charitable nature of Americans. It supposes only government can be charitable and kind.

When was it ever the purpose of government to right the wrongs in society? Our government’s charter is rather to deal justly with the responsibilities it was given in the Constitution and specifically to be delimited by that document. It is admirable that people would want to see justice done between classes of people but the superior goal is justice between individuals. This being done, the individual should not be unfairly treated. America stands for individual dignity, individual freedom, and equal justice at the individual level – not class freedom, class justice, and class dignity. A just government derives its powers from the consent of the governed, not from the control of some ruling elite class.

Practically speaking, it might be wonderful if Robin Hood or the Lone Ranger could come riding into town and make amends for all of history’s failures of mankind’s mistreatment of mankind. No ruling group of men will ever be so knowledgeable and fair. Furthermore, who has kept the ledger of injustices? Have these injustices only occurred to victims of today? Will government control prevent injustice from happening tomorrow or truly restore its full past effects upon men? Seeking the sort of power necessary to control mankind’s behavior in such detail is a supreme evil. Giving such power to any government is precisely the worst nightmare of all oppressed American patriots. The certain effect of embracing the logic of controlling a redistribution of wealth is to destroy the American principle of private ownership and will create an unstoppable power-class aimed at robbing citizens that they define as “unjust.” This must not happen in our nation, …ever.

· Redistribution of wealth is an America-ending concept. It is a great evil that was despised by our forefathers and must be rejected as well by today’s patriots. We must not allow the establishment of rulers capable of ending citizen ownership rights and who are willing to exercise total control based on class history and their emotional perceptions of victimization.

Unfortunately, getting something for nothing from the government looks so attractive to many and nearly everyone feels they are part of a deserving underclass of some sort. This attraction of redistribution of wealth is a false hope, an illusion to trick the fool. Redistribution cannot go on indefinitely until every slight is repaid. It is, however, certain to tear the fabric of the right of ownership itself. It will certainly create whole new injustices, just as bad kings of the past created pain and injury. Loss of the basic free enterprise as an American system means citizens lose the right to own what they earn. Ownership itself would dependent on government [the noble class] approval. Redistribution by government of citizen property will end liberty in America and establish a medieval feudal system with only two classes: a new noble class and a surf class, subject to the nobles’ whims. Redistribution will have given away what was dearly won in our original American revolution. Why would we want to go backward to serfdom? Heaven forbid the thing!

America must avoid redistribution of wealth at all cost! If debts are owed anyone or any class, we could decide to pay them without loss of liberty, property rights, and a free economy! We need not give up our culture and establish a government with absolute control over ownership to become a just people. Nor will redistribution of wealth make us equal. We shall still differ in health, skills, motivations, standards, age, needs, abilities, and hundreds of other ways. Minutes after justice is final in the ideal redistribution --- people and classes will become unequal. Ownership and consumption will again be different. The nobles will still want to control for the same reason –only they can define what is just and who can own what. Someone will claim underclass discrimination and we will start it all again. Redistribution of wealth will not work. America must continue to respect the right of individual ownership of property, use a free market [free from government control] economy, and our God-given liberties. We must not move to a system where a “noble-class” government will define what is just for us to own and who will be rewarded or not for their work. America must not take the fool’s bait; redistribution of wealth must be opposed.