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  1. The concept of the “benevolent despot” or “philanthropic tyranny” reminded me of Tolkien’s book “The Fellowship of the Ring.” When Frodo offered Galadriel the Ring, her response was, “In place of the Dark Lord you will set up a Queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair!”

    But she declined to accept the Ring, and announced, “I pass the test. I will diminish, and go into the West, and remain Galadriel.”

  2. Am I my brother’s keeper?

    From Bastiat

    “Under extraordinary circumstances, for urgent cases, the state should set aside some resources to assist certain unfortunate people, to help them adjust to changing conditions.”

    This is very similar to Adam Smith’s remark that he “supposed” the price of bread should be regulated to ensure the very poor would not starve. Adam Smith also advocated the regulation of interest rates to keep them moderately low (in the neighborhood of 4% if I recall) to ensure lenders only lended to people who were credit worthy and would make good use of capital.

    In the Bible, gleaning was a law not a custom. Lawful God commanded plunder? The poor have to be taken care of to some level. What level is tricky. The Bible also allowed for slavery with limitations for those who fell into economic hardship.

    I bring these cases up because because I believe absolute social and economic models are dangerous to fully buy into and follow. Even the guys who formulated them saw the need for slight exceptions although they stearnly warned of the dangers of excess government control.

    A current example is free trade. I support free trade in theory but I currently support Trump’s trade war with China. To have one sided free trade is foolish. To use tarrifs to break down the tarrifs of of a major trade partner with the end goal of freer trade is wise IMO. And we will likely never get to absolute free trade but getting closer is good and should be a continuing goal.

    Many principles theoretically seem black and white but we live in a gray world and likely always will.

    Bastiat really makes you think though, in a very positive way. This is a great series of articles.

    1. Then what the Bible teaches is that the care of the poor is religious law. We have not seen that taken seriously for a very long time.

      The huge population of cities does make it harder to care for the poor you do not know, but read the terrible description of poverty in a New England village in the chapter on Christmas in Little Women. It is horrific.

      I don’t know the answer. I have read that centuries ago, in Spain, the priests of the parishes, who knew all the people in it, would certify who was validly able to beg, and genuinely in need. As a result, people could give alms without wondering if they were being conned.

      The social workers who perform the same function today feel virtuous if they find a way to give to as many people as possible, and never mind genuine need. I have seen and heard enough of this to know it is often true.

  3. I believe the care of the poor is OUR responsibility not that of the state. If we of our own volition take that responsibility there would be no need for state intervention. Having said that,, in my heart, I feel it has been conditioned out of us to do so.

    In times past, in forms of churches, organizations and local communities the needs of the poor and indigent were addressed. As the creep of socialism infested our lives, more and more, our sense of responsibility has been eroded. We can not ‘have our cake and eat it too’. Either we take from our fellow citizens, through taxes, to care for the less fortunate or we take from our pockets and do it directly.

    Socialism is so INSIDIOUS, it always starts with such high ideals, help the poor, educate our children, protect the worker and STEAL from everyone to support it! Even more insidious is that it makes everyone who partakes, slaves to the system. This is how we are kept separated, unable to build a majority to take back the Republic.

    Take the problem of the National Debt. Irrespective of race, religion or even political party I believe any thinking individual would agree that it is a major problem. Put them together in a closed room and ask them to come to an agreement on it’s solution. “We need to reduce welfare, we need to reduce military expenditures, we need to reduce social security, etc, etc, etc, BUT NOT________________. THAT IS THE PROBLEM, we all have our fingers in the Socialist cherry pie. If the government is paying for our subsistence in any way, we are a slave to the system, and that is what the power elite us against us, a very effective weapon.

    1. I have been searching in vain for the name of a book that was part of my children’s home schooling through Christian Liberty Academy. I believe it was Hunger in the Land of Plenty but my Web searches keep on coming up with the wrong book.

      In any event this book lays out a (10 point ?) framework for Christian charity that I found profound but have never seen. One main thesis of the book is that the group that takes care of the poor controls society. It supports this with historical examples and lays out practical application. It is a challenge to the church to control charity.

      If I find the correct reference I will link it.

      1. “In the Shadow of Plenty” by Grant was the title I could not remember.

        https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Plenty-Biblical-Principles-Caring/dp/1728835380

        This was my children’s economics book through Christian Liberty Academy when they were in the 7th or 8th grade.

        The next year the book was “Honest Money” by North.

        https://www.amazon.com/Honest-Money-Biblical-Principles-Banking/dp/0930462157/ref=sr_1_2?crid=19OOOQJCD8LF9&keywords=honest+money+gary+north&qid=1576421891&s=books&sprefix=Honest+Money%2Cstripbooks%2C299&sr=1-2

        Both great reads IMO.

        I notice that there are Christian based health care plans being advertised by now. Don’t know if they are any good but it is interesting that this was one of several things Grant advocated in his book.

        While I am at it I would like to plug Christian Liberty Academy. They were great for our family. We paid the extra money and actually enrolled our children, having much of their work graded external to our home at their home campus. We wanted external evaluation and accountability from a Christian source. Both my children are now mechanical engineers and firm in their faith so it worked.

  4. Our sense of responsibility has been eroded for those of us who allow it. No matter how much you allow yourself to surrender to those insidious forces, we are still commanded by Jesus to care for our neighbor.

    In January 2017, Sarah Latimer posted a powerful essay on SB. I copied much of it and offer her words of wisdom today.

    Our nation has great need that has been neglected; the hundreds of millions of Americans outside the work force, the problems with our educational system, the violence and crime, the healthcare crisis, and our nation’s enormous indebtedness and economic frailty are undeniable. The Bible clearly speaks about responsibilities to our own family’s needs and then to give to those in need around us. I believe this applies to nations as well. Furthermore, charity isn’t really the government’s responsibility, though it has been delegated to our inefficient government primarily because individuals, churches, and communities have failed to do it. According to the Bible, it is the duty of believers to work diligently as they are able to care for one another, to be frugal in their spending, and to care for those in need around them and those whom the LORD puts on their hearts to care for, whether they must travel to put hands and feet on the ground in caring for those in need, make donations to enable others to meet needs, or to do both. We are also to care for those who are not believers, as how are we to share the Gospel with those who are hungry unless we first feed them? It’s our responsibility and not the responsibility of our government. There were covenants made by our nation’s forefathers, but those had to do with the people submitting to God’s authority. Once again, it is about the people’s hearts and actions rather than the responsibility (through legislation and/or redistribution of monies obtained through increased debt) of the politicians in Washington, D.C.

    Some of us remember Sarah Latimer as a voice of compassion and conscience. No excuses. We are called to be generous. Period.

    Carry on

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