|
The Argument From Depravity
-- A Hopeless Defense of Capitalism
A version of the following letter was published in The Ottawa Citizen on April 17,
1998.
Dear Editor,
Re: "Uniting the Right--I" -- Editorial -- April 13, 1998 -- The Ottawa
Citizen
According to your editorial, the fragmented right in Canadian politics needs common
core beliefs to unite it. Agreed. However, the fundamental principle of unity offered
is "skepticism about the perfectibility of human beings." The editorial
suggested that capitalism is the best social system because human beings are "inherently
corrupt" and thus can't be trusted under a centrally- planned economy, such
as under socialism. (How inspiring as a rallying call to unite the right!)
How can a volitional being with the capacity to acquire the knowledge needed to guide
his actions to achieve prosperity and happiness, should he choose to think, be "inherently
corrupt"? By what standard of perfection is human nature being judged? What
is considered "the good"?
A thing without volition, one that acts automatically, is a robot. Is this the standard
of perfection? Is non-choice, non-thought "the good"?
Volition is inseparable from reason. Acquiring conceptual knowledge of reality, the
kind of knowledge that makes science-technology-prosperity possible, is a volitional
activity. If non-thought is "the good," then thought must be evil. This
is that ancient doctrine known as original sin: Man is inherently evil because he
is born with the faculty of reason. A robot's mindless obedience to some authority
is the ideal -- "the good."
While error is possible to a volitional/conceptual being, it is not inevitable. One's
experience of happiness is the result of achieving one's values in reality -- and
reason is the only means by which one can achieve them. Happiness is impossible to
a robot. Is the incapacity for happiness the standard of perfection? Is non-happiness
"the good"?
Perfection must not be divorced from the nature of the entities involved. Moral perfection
is possible to a volitional/conceptual being. The morally perfect man is the man
volitionally committed to live his life fully according to reason -- according to
what is possible to a rational being. Happiness is the reward.
Moral perfection cannot be achieved by physical force. Reason and coercion are opposites
-- a gun is not an argument. A man can be forced to obey someone's edicts but cannot
be forced to accept them as right. In order for a man to pursue moral perfection
he must be free -- free to think, produce and trade with others -- free from those
who seek to rule and loot him. The perfect social system for this perfectible being
is one that prohibits the initiation of physical force -- one that protects each
individual's right to life, liberty, private property and the pursuit of happiness.
That social system is laissez-faire capitalism. That is what the right should unite
around. That's inspiring!
Cheers!
Glenn Woiceshyn
© 1998 Glenn Woiceshyn.
All rights reserved. This article can be found on-line at at http://www.capitalism.org/glennw. |
|
