On Helping Ourselves

Margaret Thatcher, the former British Prime Minister, once observed that the trouble with socialism is that eventually its administrators run out of money.  Since socialism depends on stealing from the rich to give to the poor, she had a point.  But there is something even more profoundly amiss with collectivist governments.

Life can be frightening.  Although have I remarked upon this many times, its truth is part of nearly everyone’s experience.  Things go wrong.  We get hurt.  Sometimes we see these threats coming, but do not have the power to stave them off.

No wonder we now and again crave protection.  We want someone bigger, stronger, and wiser to prevent serious damage.  In short, we hope to be saved.  What we cannot do for ourselves, we essentially want beneficent outsiders to do for us.

When we were young, this was, of course, our parents.  Loving mothers and fathers frequently interceded on our behalf.  They fed, clothed, and warded off the bullies.  As we get older, however, their limitations became evident.  They made mistakes and were occasionally revealed to be impotent.

As a result, millions of us turn to more reliable guardians.  For many, these are found in religion.  An omniscient and omnipotent deity is, in particular, asked to rescue us from disaster.  He will “save” us from the hazards we cannot manage.

In recent years, however, religion has been in decline.  With the rise in science and our unparalleled accumulation of wealth, fewer adults turn to prayer for solace.  They want more concrete protections than are available from spiritual sources.

And so many folks rely on the government for salvation.  It is clearly bigger, stronger, and richer than any individual.  Indeed, it resources are so immense that nothing seems beyond its powers.  Precisely because it can confiscate the treasures of the affluent, it has the wherewithal to come to our aid.

What is more, according to the collectivists, it has the motivation to serve our interests.  Because the American government is democratic, it is regarded as an extension of ourselves.  It will safeguard us—because how could we be opposed to self-help.

Nonetheless, this is pure fiction.  The government is not a disembodied substitute for us.  It is not a super-person with unlimited good will.  While those who represent it often do attend to our needs, they are neither perfect, nor invariably on our side.

Modern governments are bureaucracies.  They are comprised of millions of individuals arranged in hierarchies of “defined offices.”  In other words, they are people who have jobs that are constrained by rules and bosses.

Furthermore, these bureaucrats have interests of their own.  If our parents had limitations, they have many more.  Whereas our parents probably loved us, these officeholders do not.  How could they?  They don’t even know us.

As importantly, like all humans they sporadically give in to temptation.  They break the rules when they believe this might benefit them.  In sum, they become corrupt.

Isn’t this what we are experiencing?  Didn’t the defective launching of ObamaCare teach us how inept government functionaries can be?  Didn’t the lies told to protect the higher-ups demonstrate a pervasive selfishness?  Although we were told this was for our good, was it?

And what about those FBI agents who employed different standards depending on the political affiliation of those under investigation?  Didn’t their political ideologies override their alleged neutrality?

 The bottom line is this: how can people with foibles akin to our own save us?  No doubt they can help.  But will they always?  Over two millennia ago, Plato asked who would guard us from the guardians?  It cannot always be the guardians themselves.

The answer—and it is not one everyone will find satisfactory—is that we must save ourselves.  If we do not take responsibility for protecting our welfare, no other human agency can do this for us.  Moreover, if we do not diligently oversee those delegated to serve us, we are giving them a blank check to exploit us.

In the modern world, large governments are essential.   Some activities, such as national defense, can only be performed by the state.  Even so, bureaucracies cannot do everything.  As is still sometimes said—God helps those who help themselves.

 Melvyn L. Fein, Ph.D.

Professor of Sociology

Kennesaw State University