September 24, 1975

Church Attack On Capitalism 'Radical'

There is no person, process or institution that can't be improved - and that goes for the American capitalist system.

But the last - absolutely last - group that should be tinkering with our economic system is the National Council of Churches.

The NCL last week demanded "radical change" in our free enterprise to stem poverty, hunger and sickness.

Delegates to a four-day conference on U.S. hunger and other social problems finally came up with this official statement:

"There will not be eradication of poverty and hunger either here or abroad within the present economic-political system.

"Our society's assumption has been that a competitive pursuit of private gain will work to provide the best possible life for all.  Our examination of hunger in the U.S. convinces us that it has not provided the best possible life for all, but has resulted in the exploitation of the many for the sake of the few."

Baloney!

The American capitalist system HAS produced the BEST POSSIBLE life for Americans, and will do better if it is allowed to function fully.

What the NCL wants to say, but hasn't the nerve, is that the U.S. system hasn't provided the MOST DESIRED.

There is considerable difference between the rhetoric and the secret wish.

It is hard to understand just what the NCL advocates in the way of additional radicalism.

For the last forty years the social activists have conned us into a large measure of self-destructing radicalism.  We have spent above our means for four decades of "new deals," "square deals," "new frontiers" and "great societies."

To finance this "free lunch in the sky" the National Council of Churches led the way in altering the capitalist system to "take from the rich to give to the poor."

The "rich" in America - the people with money to spend beyond their basic needs - are the great middle class earning $10,000 to $20,000 a year.

It is this group that works hard, saves a thousand dollars and risks it in a capitalist venture.

We tend to forget the industries, banks, and insurance companies - which do the heavy investing - are using the money we have entrusted to them temporarily.  Our little stock purchases, savings accounts and insurance policies is the fuel which makes the economic engine, percolate.

The real capitalists - in contrast to the giant "front" organizations - have been squeezed dry.

Four decades of over-spending and over-taxing has created galloping inflation.  We see the death throes of capitalism in the anemic stock market, high interest rates, and zooming insurance premiums.

Perhaps it is more merciful to let the National Council of Churches and the other social activists administer one more shot of "radical change."  It won't take much more over-regulation to finish off this nation and put us out of our misery.

It is typical of the social tinkerer to spend someone else's money or curtail someone else's liberty to fix the problem he identifies.

In the instant case the NCL makes no constructive suggestion but will be satisfied with anything "radical."

So, where do we go from here?

To the fully socialist-communist system of Russia and China?  A system that denies God, puts man in a social concentration camp, and makes war national policy?  And in the end has to buy food from the capitalist countries?

Or, shall we give it all to the under-developed countries and join the third world?  A system that rules by tribal or military dictatorships?  And which, in the end, has to beg food from the capitalists?

Rather than more radical surgery, we should let up on capitalism so it can get back to its job of creating jobs for people - so people can solve their own problems.

We have government - too much government - to work on our social problems.

We need someone to help us with our spiritual and moral problems which have gone to pot while the churchmen have been busy trying to supersede government.

While the National Council of Churches thunders against the problems of the flesh, man's soul withers from a flood of pornography, violence, permissiveness, divorce, abortion, sexual abandon, crime, foul language, and assorted human short-coming.  Church attendance is not declining by coincidence!

In my opinion, we should demand that our politicians work diligently for sensible change in the social order, and that our religious leaders work diligently for sensible change in man's nature.

The institutions of government, capitalism, and religion have important jobs to do.  Let each do its part well and we shall continue to prosper.  Improvement will surely come thereby.

Author: Lindsey Williams