When people say, “History repeats itself,” that’s no joke. Who remembers “McCarthyism” from the 1950’s? Allow me to very briefly refresh your memory. Socialism or Communism (an extreme form of socialism where the government owns all businesses andpersonal property, including homes, as well) was condemned and then Senator Joe McCarthy made it his business to hold hearings in order to expose communist infiltration in various areas of the U.S government. It was a witch hunt. Even though he failed to make a plausible case against anyone, McCarthy presented accusations that were just suspicious enough to drive some right out of a job. The point here is that communism/socialism was condemned, and eventually, so was McCarthy.
That was almost seventy years ago. But today, we have forgotten that socialism has already been dealt with and condemned. As a result, we are again seeing the rise of the push for socialism from self-proclaimed socialists, who will run for President in the next election. Here’s the problem with that: Our government is a republic. Not a socialist nation. It’s time to re-educate our country on socialism—what it means, what it looks like, why our country is not a socialist nation (because it doesn’t work), why it has already been condemned, and more importantly, what God has to say about it.
What Is Socialism?
Socialism (Marxism) was an ideology started by Karl Marx who was born to German Jewish parents in 1818. He received his doctorate at age 23, then set out to prove that one’s identity is found in one’s work, that economic systems control people, and that communities are divided by economic classes.
After the Industrial Revolution, Marx felt that those who had previously been self-employed in agriculture, and now worked in factories, were forced to do so, and consequently lost their dignity and identity. He now saw them as slaves controlled by a taskmaster. This led him to believe that capitalism was now his enemy.
Marx felt that capitalism reduced ownership to the privileged few, creating two separate communities: the business owners—capitalists, or bourgeoisie (pronounced boo-zhwah-zee), and the workers—the proletariat. He saw wealth as a zero sum game where one person’s gain is another person’s loss, as though there is a pie of wealth that has a fixed amount of portions that everyone must share—if one person has more, the rest have less. But the economic reality is that wealth can be created. The pie gets bigger. Consequently, the rich don’t have to get richer at the expense of the poor. Marx overlooked that. Moreover, he felt that religion is, “the opiate of the masses,” where the rich use religion to manipulate the performance of the working class, claiming that the proletariat is promised rewards in Heaven for working hard in the place where God wanted them. This would make the worker subservient to the owner.
Marx’s solution? He envisioned a Utopia—a perfect world where everything is fair to everyone, a perfect place where there exists no problems. He thought this could be accomplished by ending ownership of private property, and that the state should own everything in terms of economic production (businesses), so that all would work for the common good of mankind. Once private property was no more, a person’s identity would be seen in a more positive light, and the wall between the classes would come down, because everyone would work together for a common interest on an even playing field. The goal was equal outcome for all, where everyone’s needs would be met by the government.
The Problems With Socialism
Socialism causes economic problems and cultural problems. Besides the fact that no one would be able to own one’s own business, and socialism hasn’t worked anywhere it has been tried (USSR until 1991, China, Cambodia, Cuba, East Germany before 1990, Ethiopia until 1991, North Korea, Poland until 1989, Romania until 1990, and Venezuela), Christians have been persecuted because socialism is in direct opposition to Christianity. I believe that at the rootof both of these problems, is the fact that Marx lacked an understanding of human psychology. Socialism ignores the fact that humans are innately selfish. Instead, he envisioned a Utopia that in reality, could never exist. He expected Heaven on earth.
Contrasting Socialism With Christianity
There is a fundamental difference between socialism and Christianity.
Socialism is an atheistic philosophy. Marx left no doubt about this when he wrote in 1843, a manuscript he called, Hegel’s Philosophy of Right. In it, he said, “The first requisite of the happiness of the people is the abolition of religion.”
Christianity, on the other hand is rooted in theism, always appealing to the teachings of Jesus Christ (God). Marxists governments want to be seen asGod, being the provider, sustainer, protector and lawgiver for everyone. They don’t want to recognize God, because they want the authority in His place. Socialism is in direct contradiction to the Bible.
How Socialism Contradicts the Bible
1. Marxism removes private property from the people. Private ownership is outlawed.
The Bible assumes the existence of private property and commands us to respect it:
There are so many verses in the Bible that assume private ownership. But for my purpose here, these verses will suffice.
a. Deut. 5:19 “You shall not steal.” This would be meaningless if property was not privately owned.
b. 2 Thess. 3:10“If anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.” Marxism takes away one’s motivation to work because they know they don’t have to if the government takes care of them.
c. Matt. 25: The Parable of the Talents. There is no way to reconcile Marxism with this teaching, which also teaches we are to serve God with our private resources.
d. Luke 16: The Parable of the Unrighteous Steward. This is about being shrewd with our ownershipof what God has given to us.
Marxism destroys motivation, accountability and the Biblical work ethic. Whereas the Bible honors work, and teaches that people are to be responsible for themselves. Christians are always persecuted in Marxist states. There’s a reason for that.
2. Marxism seeks to meet the needs of this world. Christianity is about meeting spiritual needs.
Marxism is an ideology that is the exact opposite to the teachings of Jesus. Jesus taught, “Seek God’s Kingdom first…” Matt.6:26. Marx taught to seek material things. The differences are irreconcilable.
At the graveside of Karl Marx, his friend, Frederick Engels said that Marx’s greatest insight was, “Men must first of all eat, drink, have shelter and clothing before they can pursue politics, science, art, religion and the like.” In other words, physical needs should be our priority. But in Matt. 6:25-26, Jesus says, “Do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” Then later in verse 32 and 33, Jesus says, “Your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Butseek first(italics mine) His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Marx wanted man to look to the government for Utopia. But Christians know that there will never be a Utopia in this world. Jesus will provide this someday. Not the government.
3. Marxism assumes a government that is free from corruption and ignores the possibility for elitism at the highest level.
If there’s anything we’ve learned from history (and Lord Acton), it’s that, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” If there is a government put in place that abhors Christianity, someone will take God’s place, and that someone will seek to maintain their power at all costs, and persecute Christians in the process, while censoring anyone who dares to dissent.
The Argument for Marxism
There are those who will argue that the Bible supports Marxism/Socialism by pointing to Acts 2:44-45: “All those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.”
But this passage only describeswhat happened. It does not commandthe church to emulate what these people did to meet a need. It is descriptive, not prescriptive, and there’s no other place in the New Testament where this behavior is described or prescribed. What the people did here was voluntary. God did not tell them to do it. The people did it out of their love for Christ. But it was not required by God.
Socialism/Marxism seeks to take away one’s personal property by force. Socialism is not a voluntary enterprise.
The Argument For Capitalism
Andy Puzder (PragerU.com) lays out this argument nicely. Puzder points out that Amazon is a great example of how Capitalism works. The products sold on Amazon represent sellers who believe they have something the public needs. If they’re right, they make money. If they’re wrong, they don’t. This is how the free market works. Puzder contends, “It encourages people to improve their lives by satisfying the needs of others.”[1]People don’t make money satisfying a need for themselves. They start a business to satisfy a need for others.
The economy in a Capitalist society is run by a supply and demand basis. As the consumer—you, have the ultimate power. Puzder attests, “You vote with every dollar you spend.” In a socialist economy, the government has that power. The government decides what you get by a supply that is limited to the amount it(the elite few) thinks should exist.
I saw this happen first-hand when I went to Cuba three years ago. Our tour guide, a Cuba native, was all too happy to tell us about their way of life. Everything—food, clothing, supplies, are purchased only at a government store, for the amount the government decides, and the supply is limited. In fact, after the age of 7, a child may no longer have milk allotted to them to drink. If no one in the family is a child of 7 or under, that family does not get milk. It has to be purchased on the black market. Oh, and no one made more than between $25.00-$40.00 a month. Everyone made the same amount. Whether you were a dentist, a lawyer, or any other profession. This is what socialism looks like.
Instead of millions of citizens deciding what they want, a few people, the governmental rulers—decide what people get, how much they get, and what they should pay for it. Unsurprisingly, they always get it wrong, and the people are left hanging. Puzder continues, “Of course this isn’t a problem for those who have the right connections with the right people. Those chosen few get whatever they want. But everyone else is out of luck.”
The bottom line is that in order for anyone to get free stuffa capitalist economy is necessary. Because you have to create enough wealthto generate enough tax revenue to payfor everything the government wants to give away. In a socialist economy, no one would make enough money to be taxed in order to pay for others to get free stuff. Some just wouldn’t work at all. What would be their motivation? So with no tax revenue to pay for those who don’t want to work, or can’t, that pot of money will run out. This is economics 101 (my undergrad degree is in business J). We see this happening in Venezuela right now. They are literally in the dark. No electricity.
Christianity supports Capitalism
As I said earlier, the Bible is replete with verses that talk about work ethic, and enjoying the fruits of one’s labor, the consequences of laziness, and how to manage the money that the Lord has given us. Many are in the book of Proverbs. Try Proverbs 12:11, 12:24, 13:4, and 14:23 for starters. However, King Solomon sums up capitalism nicely in Ecclesiastes 5:18-19. “Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor: this is the gift of God.”
Capitalism aligns with what the Bible teaches. 2 Thess. teaches that if a man shall not work with his own hands, neither shall that man eat. Marxism/Socialism is in direct opposition to Christianity because it promotes an entitlement culture. Entitlement and socialism are bad for one’s self-esteem, vision, and motivation. I’m just going to say it–socialism promotes and rewards laziness in those who can work, but won’t. Marxism just doesn’t work in any society, for anyone. Christian or not. Never has. Never will. Yet socialism is being exalted in public school systems and in secular universities. Now we are seeing the results of what those graduates look like. Let’s pray that socialism is not in our future. Take a gander America. Look back at world history, and the victims of Marxism. Let’s be intentional about our country’s future. Our lives literally depend on it.
[1]Puzder, Andy. 2019 “Capitalism vs. Socialism” Prager University, March 4, 2019, accessed March 8, 2019 https://www.prageru.com/video/capitalism-vs-socialism/