Conservative or Liberal

Conservatism / Liberalism  or  Capitalism / Socialism

Which are you? The question is a difficult one, in that it covers several aspects of day to day life. Namely, economics…distribution of wealth and goods (the primary distinction), personal well-being (health, education, etc.), pursuit of happiness (ownership and freedom of choice), religious belief and practice, and other lesser implications. In most capitalistic countries (USA) and socialistic countries (Sweden) there is a combination of both ideologies. The rub comes in the mixture of the two and to what degree they are embraced. This tension is one of the things that has made our two party governmental system work for an extended period of time. There will always be debate and disagreement on the particulars, but where do we draw the boundary lines?  What is the big picture?  It’s kind of like the outer perimeter around a huge park. There are lots of choices of what to do, what to ride, how to spend your time, energy and money within the park.  Just don’t cross the line.  Freedom within boundaries.  When the perimeters are crossed we end up with:

• ·        Socialism to extreme socialism (communism) where the state is in complete control and dictates your life and well-being. Personal liberty is non-existent. Incentive is thwarted. The money/goods are in the hands of a few powerful folks at the top, and they decide how it is distributed…almost always to their own benefit and wealth. Usually a dictator emerges and rarely is it benevolent.
• ·        Capitalism to extreme capitalism where the wealthy and big business call the shots, because everything is about more profit for the owners at all costs. The environment and the people become objects to be used in the pursuit of more wealth. Inferior business failure is expected and embraced. Incentive is valued and is necessary.  Sink or swim, it’s totally up to you.  If you can’t swim with the sharks, you’ll likely be swallowed up by them.

The real problem with both systems is that they are both self-serving.  Capitalism is more blatant, but socialism is just as selfish, just couched in terms and promises that will never work, never have worked, and never will work.  Why? Because the folks who pull the strings are self-centered at heart…just like the capitalists.  Thus, we continue to fight with each other over systems that are doomed to failure. Oh, we may have a good run of a few hundred years, but sooner or later (and often sooner) the selfish heart of man rules the day and the welfare, benefit and value of each individual is sacrificed. This is the fundamental difference in a worldview that focuses on the here and now, and one that focuses on the world to come. We will never eliminate the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized and the needy. We simply do not live in a world, under either system, that fundamentally cares for others above self.  Never has, and never will…thus, history repeats itself…again and again.  I am convinced that this is the reason you never see Jesus getting political.  He never spends time and energy railing against the politics of the day.  He knows it is futile. Countries and societies come and go. His focus is on the Coming Kingdom, where love and compassion reign supreme.