CONSTITUTIONAL CONVERSATIONS
Trader Joe
by
M. E. Boyd, Esq., “Miss Constitution”
Note: this is one of a series of columns on the American economic system as distinguished from a Socialist/Communist system. “Democratic” Socialism is not an economic system it is a method of instituting Socialism/Communism into a society rather than through military force or revolution.
#twill #tcot #maga #leadright #sbalich #capitalism
The man who began Trader Joe’s in the 1960’s in California just passed away. Joe epitomizes the difference between American capitalism and Socialism/Communism. Joe is a person, and our system emphasizes the development of the person. Last week Miss Constitution began distinguishing the two systems by starting with the goal of social justice and explaining the differences. The American economic system can be easily summarized by the letter “P” – a virtuous PERSON, a fair PROCESS, making his or her way in the PRIVATE SECTOR, toward personal PROSPERITY, and then PHILANTHROPY. This is how Trader Joe did it; this is how thousands and thousands of other persons, from all backgrounds, races, conditions, ethnicities, and circumstances have done it. This is the miracle of America’s version of Capitalism.
Socialism/Communism emphasizes the group over the person – the “poor”, the “working class”, “LGBTQ”, “undocumented workers”, “proletariat”, etc. It emphasizes a certain outcome rather than an individual outcome (everyone got a medal for participating; there was no personal winner of the 40-yard dash). Private business, like Trader Joe’s, thought up and developed by a person, yields to government control of business either through direct management or confiscatory taxation. The “fairness of process” (all restaurants must have a sign in restrooms that workers wash their hands – no exceptions) in Capitalism, yields to “fairness of outcome” in Socialism/Communism (all profit is re-distributed away from the individual and/or shareholder to society as a whole). Of course, the individual leaders in Socialist/Communist states take much of the profit for themselves and their families before sharing any with the society.
So, one question is, why have so many Americans, including younger generations of Americans, taken to a system that has never been successful anywhere it has been tried, including China, and abandoned a system that has lifted all boats, and in partnership with the Constitution of the United States, provided a stable social order generation after generation for the benefit of achieving individual people who then give back to society in the form of charity and philanthropy? The businesses begun by these individuals, such as Trader Joe, are then passed down to newer generations to improve and expand. Wealth created by the person is conveyed by that person to be used to develop more business, provide for more jobs and benefits, or to support schools, churches, hospitals, chairs in certain subjects at colleges and universities, symphonies, poetry scholarships and so on. Wealth created is not allowed to be confiscated by an insatiable government to be used up rather than multiplied.
The answer is, in Miss Constitution’s view, that the American version of Capitalism understands the nature of human beings and the Socialist/Communist system does not. It is that simple. What about human nature does American Capitalism understand?
- Human beings are flawed by nature. They are capable of great heights of decency and great depths of wickedness. Government’s role is to encourage the one and discourage the other. Decency is encouraged by Liberty; by allowing human beings to pursue what they need and want without undue restriction. This Liberty then, after one’s wants and needs are satisfied, encourages decency and charity. The alternative is the heavy hand of force that causes anger and resentment and subversion.
- Justice is not the same as Equality. Justice is giving each person his or her due. Justice is impartial as in the impartial application of the Rule of Law or the impartial application of process. Equality of outcome simply does not exist although it has been demanded by human beings since the beginning of time. Some politicians talk about social justice when they are really talking about equality. The idea that others have more than you do; that others were given a better education than you were; that others had more opportunities than you did; that others have more talent and intelligence than you have; drives some human beings into a frenzy of anger and envy. One of the flaws of human nature. You can recognize this type of person as negative in attitude, as always angry, as persons flailing his or her arms and hands in defiance of imaginary enemies of his or her success. A very sad sight.
- Human beings recognize and appreciate when society protects and defends their achievements and their talent. Article I, section 8 of the United States Constitution protects the intellectual property of inventors, of writers, of musicians, of improvers of existing inventions through Trademark and Patent laws. Our system encourages the individual to achieve it does not punish that achievement. China, the largest Socialist/Communist society does not protect the individual; does not allow individuals to achieve outside the heavy hand of the State, and has to extort or steal America’s intellectual property because its own citizens do not have the Liberty to create and be personally rewarded.
The reason our young do not know about the basics of our interwoven systems is that we don’t teach them. We are either embarrassed by our success or we are deliberately sabotaging their futures. Why would we do this? Miss Constitution can only conclude that this is part of our flawed natures – to destroy what is great and start all over again in hopes of something better. Trader Joe lived the American dream. Should we not pass this dream on to future generations?
Copyright©2019 by M.E. Boyd, Esq., “Miss Constitution”
APPLES OF GOLD – Voices from the Past that Speak to us Now by M. E. Boyd is available at www.amazon.com
