There is a pervasive assumption in our society, Dennis Prager states, that capitalism is “based on selfishness, and produces selfishness, while socialism is based on selflessness and produces selflessness.”
Of course, as Prager goes on to say, the reality is quite the opposite. “Capitalism teaches people to work more. Socialism teaches people to demand more.” In fact, socialism has a crippling effect on the community: it infantilises people, making them dependent and self-centred.
I have been amused at times when debating partners have accused me of “lacking compassion” because I have expressed hesitancy about being “generous” with other people’s money. It has made me giggle, because being generous with other people’s money is not particularly compassionate, in fact, it outsources compassion
to someone else, selfishly demanding that others (intriguingly it is invariably those who happens to be wealthier than myself) have their resources seized and used for a purpose I see fit.
Socialism in fact produces not just one, but a double dose of selfishness: It instills a sense of entitlement in people to resources that haven’t been earned, and a lack of gratitude for what they have. Socialism also absolves individuals from the personal responsibility to love and care for their neighbour, and those less fortunate, because such works of compassion are outsourced to welfare programs and the State.
Photo by Florencia Cárcamo 