Saturday, February 6, 2010

Organizing some thoughts

Conservative view:
  • The free market is the best, most efficient way to allocate resources. The best ideas succeed, others fail. The best people succeed, others fail. Government should stay out of the way and let markets work because they have produced the most successful and powerful nation in history.
  • The government has no business deciding how my earned money should be allocated. Politicians pretend to be concerned about the people but they act in their own self interest - to get reelected is their highest priority.
Liberal view:
  • People are neither commodities nor resources and should not be treated as such by market forces, which will neglect (even abandon) the weakest among us. Governments are necessary to insure the welfare of those who might not have the resources or ability to succeed.
  • If social decisions are left to individuals, the least productive, least powerful face neglect. Government must make these decisions and allocate resources to protect the weakest.
I see truth in each position. Will a battle for dominance of one philosophy over the other result in the best outcome? I don't think so.