Posted by
Andrews on Saturday, July 11, 2009 4:03:44 PM
I was trying to finish an old post when something occurred to me. When I argue for the free market, some on the left complain that the free market is "unfeeling" or "concerns itself with only material matters". Now, many on the left are not religious, at least not explicitly so (though some are), but they do make the same argument in less spiritual ways, basically denouncing the "greed" of the free market.
What makes this argument so odd is that their argument suggests that it would be better to replace the free market with a more "ethical" system, one based upon their own ethical beliefs. Basically, they argue that the whole economy should be shaped to conform to their own view of what is right and wrong.
Which leads me to ask, isn't the left the group which worries that conservatives will create a "theocracy"? But what is the difference between a theocracy and a system run by their own views of morality? Granted, many of them do not base their morality on religion, but that is not crucial. If it is harmful to base government on one person's individual ethical beliefs, why does it become acceptable when those ethics are based on something other than religion? Or when it applies to matters of commerce rather than personal behavior?
It seem this position is quite inconsistent with their avowed fear of "theocracy" or "legislating morality". It seems they really believe "you can't legislate morality, except when it comes to economics and the morality comes from the left."
POSTSCRIPT
I have written before about the "can't legislate morality" argument, so rather than repeat my thoughts, I will suggest readers look at "
The State and Morality", "
A Bit More Explanation" and "
Protectionism Right and Left" (see the postscript). I also plan to write shortly of the harm of creating what amounts to a "government of men, not laws", though it has been delayed by my many ailments as has all my writing. (I did mention its potential harm to individual liberty in "
A Question for Artists of the Left".)