Capitalism Vs Socialism
“How can you call yourself a Christian and be against…??”
I am so tired of hearing this kind of bullying that is done by worldly speakers. I’m going to try to compile some info for you to use or ignore as you see fit. The first thing is that God tells you to take care of your neighbor not the government.
“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” - 1 John 3:16-18 ESV
Government is a proxy for people and therefore is just as flawed or sinful as individuals. But, just like you and me, we are all a part of God’s sovereign plan. Therefore, unless we are being asked (or coerced) to act against God, we must obey. That doesn’t mean we have to agree with what that government is doing.
“Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent.” - Luke 20:22-26 ESV
Now, let us get into some nitty gritty. Money is a placeholder or a tool to help trade between people. If I grow a bunch of tomatoes and you raise pigs, we might agree that a big bowl of tomatoes is an acceptable trade for a pound of bacon from your pigs. Both of us expended resources to raise and develop our product to trade so neither should be free to demand by the other party. Money makes this trade easier because many people can concur that a pound of bacon is $6 and tomatoes are 90 cents each making (roughly) 6 tomatoes (a bowlful) equivalent to a pound of bacon. Besides being a placeholder or a tool, money has no intrinsic value beyond our agreement to use it for these exchanges.
A true capitalist society operates on that free market basis. A person makes a widget and offers it for sale at a price. If people choose to buy it, they do. Obviously, the person making the widget has costs that they need to cover so they have to price the product to recover those costs and make a profit. If the price is too high, customers choose not to buy it. If you create a product that people rush to buy, you become rich. Henry Ford is a great example of a person who developed a product (a car) in such a way that people bought lots of them.
In a true socialist society (utopian), everyone works, for the greater good of everyone, and receives or shares in the benefits equally. On the surface, this sounds great. We need doctors and ditch diggers so each should live an equivalent lifestyle. The problem is that it takes a lot more time and effort to become a doctor than it does to become a ditch digger. Throw in talent or aptitude, and not everyone is able to do what they want to do. For example, I may wish I was a professional football player but since I can hardly walk without tripping on air, it’s not a realistic objective.
Enter government. If individuals won’t pick according to the greater good of society (utopian socialism) then a socialist society will need a deciding body to determine who does what and what is the shared goods. Here is where sin complicates things. Determination is just a softer word for power and, to date, all the examples of true socialism societies have devolved into communism, ruthless dictatorships and abject poverty for all but the elites.
Finally, to muddy the water, there are no true capitalist or socialism based societies. Liberals will be quick to point out institutions like roads that are paid for by all for the benefit of all (socialism ideal) while conservatives will be quick to point out that even communist societies like China have free market areas like Hong Kong. To me, that implies two things. First, a utopian society is not possible and like divorce, God does allows imperfect societies to exist for his sovereign plan. Second, while we need to strive to create and maintain the best combination society we can, disagreement as to what that means (and who and how it will be created) will be perpetual.
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;” - 1 Timothy 2:1-8 ESV
God, to the best of my knowledge, doesn’t define in the Bible how governments (or kings) should operate. In college, one of my liberal arts classes was called ‘Utopian Societies’. This class studied several groups of people who tried to split off from what they believed was a flawed society and create a utopian society for themselves. They all failed horribly because sin got in the way of creating that perfect society.
