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[[Karl Marx]] advocated [[democracy]] as the road to [[communism]]. And once the [[masses]] an vote themselves [[benefits]] and [[dainties]] a "modified, government-regulated capitalism" will soon not be [[capitalism]] but [[socialism]] and [[communism]]. | [[Karl Marx]] advocated [[democracy]] as the road to [[communism]]. And once the [[masses]] an vote themselves [[benefits]] and [[dainties]] a "modified, government-regulated capitalism" will soon not be [[capitalism]] but [[socialism]] and [[communism]]. | ||
When Mike Wallace asked Rand, "Yes, but you say everybody is enslaved to everybody, yet this came about democratically, Ayn. A free people in a free country voted for this kind of government, wanted this kind of legislation. Do you object to the democratic process?" | |||
Her response was far more accurate than his question: | |||
<blockquote> | |||
"I object to the idea that the people have the right to vote on everything. The traditional American system was a system based on the idea that majority will prevailed only in public or political affairs. And that it was limited by inalienable individual rights, therefore I do not believe that a majority can vote a man’s life, or property, or freedom away from him. Therefore, I do not believe that if a majority votes on any issue, that this makes the issue right; it doesn’t." | |||
</blockquote> | |||
In a [[Republic]] the mob or majority has no right to take away the rights of the minority or of each other. Rand was right but Wallace was wrong. It was not the "democratic process" that ''enslaved to everybody'' but the [[covetous practices]] of the people and the churches should have been the first to point that out. | |||
It was the the [[appetite]] of the [[Masses]] for "[[benefits]] and the habit of receiving them by way of a rule of [[force]] and violence." That violence and force came at the hands of government by the [[consent]] of "people, having grown accustomed to [[Bite|feed at the expense of others]] and to depend for their livelihood on the property of others... institute the rule of [[force|violence]]; <Ref>[[Matthew 11]]:12 And from the days of [[John the Baptist]] until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by [[force]]. </Ref> and now [[cities of blood|uniting their forces massacre, banish, and plunder]],<Ref>[[Luke 16]]:16 The law and the prophets [were] until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.</Ref> until they [[degenerate]] again into [[perfect savages]] and find once more a master and monarch." <Ref>"But when a new generation arises and the [[democracy]] falls into the hands of the grandchildren of its founders, they have become so accustomed to freedom and equality that they no longer value them, and begin to aim at pre-eminence; and it is chiefly those of ample fortune who fall into this error. 6 So when they begin to lust for power and cannot attain it through themselves or their own good qualities, they ruin their estates, tempting and corrupting the people in every possible way. 7 And hence when by their [[foolish]] thirst for reputation they have created among the masses an appetite for gifts and the habit of receiving them, [[democracy]] in its turn is abolished and changes into a rule of [[force]] and violence. 8 For the people, having grown accustomed to [[Covetous practices|feed at the expense of others and to depend for their livelihood on the property of others]], as soon as they find a leader who is enterprising but is excluded from the houses of office by his penury, institute the rule of violence; 9 and now [[cities of blood|uniting their forces massacre]], banish, and plunder, until they degenerate again into [[perfect savages]] and find once more a master and monarch." [[Polybius]]: The Histories (composed at Rome around 130 BC)[https://factystaff.richmond.edu/~wstevens/FYStexts/Polybius6.pdf Fragments of Book VI], p289 [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Polybius/6*.html See also Loeb Classical Library edition, 1922 thru 1927 ] </Ref> <Ref>An alternate translation in context, "9. For no sooner had the knowledge of the jealousy and hatred existing in the citizens against them which is replaced by [[democracy]], emboldened some one to oppose the government by word or deed, than he was sure to find the whole people ready and prepared to take his side. Having then got rid of these rulers by assassination or exile, they do not venture to set up a king again, being still in terror of the injustice to which this led before; nor dare they intrust the common interests again to more than one, considering the recent example of their misconduct: and therefore, as the only sound hope left them is that which depends upon themselves, they are driven to take refuge in that; and so changed the constitution from an oligarchy to a democracy, and took upon themselves the superintendence and charge of the state. And as long as any survive who have had experience of oligarchical supremacy and domination, they regard their present constitution as a blessing, and hold equality and freedom as of the utmost value. ''But as soon as a new generation has arisen, and the democracy has descended to their children’s children, long association weakens their value for equality and freedom, and some seek to become more powerful than the ordinary citizens; and the most liable to this temptation are the rich.'' (which degenerates into rule of corruption and violence, only to be stopped by a return to despotism.) So when they begin to be fond of office, and find themselves unable to obtain it by their own unassisted efforts and their own merits, they ruin their estates, while enticing and corrupting the common people in every possible way. By which means when, in their senseless mania for reputation, they have made the populace ready and greedy to receive bribes, the virtue of [[democracy]] is destroyed, and it is transformed into a government of violence and the strong hand. '''For the mob, habituated to feed at the expense of others, and to have its hopes of a livelihood in the property of its neighbours, as soon as it has got a leader sufficiently ambitious and daring, being excluded by poverty from the sweets of [[flesh pots|civil honours]], produces a reign of mere violence. Then come tumultuous assemblies, massacres, banishments, redivisions of land; until, after losing all trace of civilisation, it has once more found a master and a despot.'''" Translator: [[Evelyn Shirley Shuckburgh]], [https://www.gutenberg.org/files/44126/44126-h/44126-h.htm Release Date: November 8, 2013] [EBook #44126]</Ref> | |||
And like the [[One purse]] of Proverbs once the people [[consent]] the will run toward death and be caught in a [[snare]] and a trap. | And like the [[One purse]] of Proverbs once the people [[consent]] the will run toward death and be caught in a [[snare]] and a trap. | ||
The "contemporary American way of life" is decidedly different than the life in early America. | The "contemporary American way of life" is decidedly different than the life in early America. It is not [[The way|The Way]] of Christ and the Churches should have sounded the alarm but were silent. | ||
Last I looked the the [[covetous practices]] of eating ate the [[tables]] of [[legal charity]] through the [[welfare State]] is a sin and not in conformity with the Judeo-Christian religious values found in the Bible. | |||
Miss Rand herself was essentially opposed the forcing of contribution of the people to provide [[welfare]] | When Mike Wallace responded, "All right, then how do we arrive at action? How should we arrive at action?" | ||
Rand answered, "By voluntary consent, voluntary cooperation of free men, unforced. | |||
Miss Rand herself was essentially opposed the forcing of contribution of the people to provide [[welfare]]." This was no different than [[Abraham]] and [[Moses]] and certainly [[John the Baptist]] and [[Jesus]] who was the [[Christ]]. Even David, and Paul warned that any other [[welfare]] [[benefits]] at [[tables]] of rulers was a [[snare|snare and a trap]] with Peter warning that they would make the people "[[merchandise|Human resources]]" and [[curse children|curse their children]]. | |||
== Ayn Rand and Social Security == | == Ayn Rand and Social Security == | ||
Revision as of 08:09, 30 April 2024
Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand the novelist, whose two major works, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, were best sellers. She was a philosophers who was called revolutionary and a rebel. She called her ideas Objectivism, meaning a philosophy based on objective reality. That reality exists as an objective absolute outside of the influence of mere human opinion.
she sees herself "primarily the creator of a new code of morality which has so far been believed impossible. Namely, a morality not based on faith, not on arbitrary whim, not on emotion, not on arbitrary edicts, mystical or social, but on reason."
Of course for that "reason" to be ”Right Reason it must be the product of the true objective reality and not subject to the bias and prejudice opinions of men.
This new morality can only be "can be proved by means of logic". Which can be demonstrated to be true and necessary.
Her "morality is based on man’s life as a standard of value. And she goes so far as to say "That his highest moral purpose is the achievement of his own happiness."
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are listed as some of those endowed natural rights past down from generation to generation originating from the beginning of our primordial creation and are not subject to parliaments or kings.
Scorn of churches
Some have said that, Rand is "out to destroy almost every edifice in the contemporary American way of life. Our Judeo-Christian religion, our modified, government-regulated capitalism, our rule by the majority will.”
She is accused of a "scorn churches, and the concept of God.”
The first accusation is certainly tru but not without some justification. Certainly she was "challenging the base of all these institutions."
But she also said, "I’m challenging the moral code of altruism. The precept that man’s moral duty is to live for others. That man must sacrifice himself to others. Which is the present day morality."
To understand Rand we should, if we love the reality of objective truth, try to understand what she may not understand and why.
Moral code
What is the "moral code of altruism?"
The definition of altruism includes the choice of charity which in the Judeo-Christian's Bible we find one Greek word translated into both "love" and "charity". And the only "code" on the subject seems to suggest that we Should "love our neighbors as ourselves".
This would include loving those endowed natural rights of our neighbor as much as our own.
Is it possible that the institutions Ayn scorned had distorted the Judeo-Christian's ethics or value?
If they had we should ask does that distortion remain with us today?
Democracy and communism
Mike Wallace states in an interview of Ayn Rand that "Democracy or Communism, take hold and affect the entire world".
What was the stand of Church institution on "Democracy or Communism"?
The "rule by the majority will" result from Democracy which the founder opposed and believed would fail. The preferred the virtues of a Republic where both rulers and the mob are restrained.
Karl Marx advocated democracy as the road to communism. And once the masses an vote themselves benefits and dainties a "modified, government-regulated capitalism" will soon not be capitalism but socialism and communism.
When Mike Wallace asked Rand, "Yes, but you say everybody is enslaved to everybody, yet this came about democratically, Ayn. A free people in a free country voted for this kind of government, wanted this kind of legislation. Do you object to the democratic process?"
Her response was far more accurate than his question:
"I object to the idea that the people have the right to vote on everything. The traditional American system was a system based on the idea that majority will prevailed only in public or political affairs. And that it was limited by inalienable individual rights, therefore I do not believe that a majority can vote a man’s life, or property, or freedom away from him. Therefore, I do not believe that if a majority votes on any issue, that this makes the issue right; it doesn’t."
In a Republic the mob or majority has no right to take away the rights of the minority or of each other. Rand was right but Wallace was wrong. It was not the "democratic process" that enslaved to everybody but the covetous practices of the people and the churches should have been the first to point that out.
It was the the appetite of the Masses for "benefits and the habit of receiving them by way of a rule of force and violence." That violence and force came at the hands of government by the consent of "people, having grown accustomed to feed at the expense of others and to depend for their livelihood on the property of others... institute the rule of violence; [1] and now uniting their forces massacre, banish, and plunder,[2] until they degenerate again into perfect savages and find once more a master and monarch." [3] [4]
And like the One purse of Proverbs once the people consent the will run toward death and be caught in a snare and a trap.
The "contemporary American way of life" is decidedly different than the life in early America. It is not The Way of Christ and the Churches should have sounded the alarm but were silent.
Last I looked the the covetous practices of eating ate the tables of legal charity through the welfare State is a sin and not in conformity with the Judeo-Christian religious values found in the Bible.
When Mike Wallace responded, "All right, then how do we arrive at action? How should we arrive at action?"
Rand answered, "By voluntary consent, voluntary cooperation of free men, unforced. Miss Rand herself was essentially opposed the forcing of contribution of the people to provide welfare." This was no different than Abraham and Moses and certainly John the Baptist and Jesus who was the Christ. Even David, and Paul warned that any other welfare benefits at tables of rulers was a snare and a trap with Peter warning that they would make the people "Human resources" and curse their children.
Ayn Rand and Social Security
Someone tried to say that "...Ayn Rand signed up for Social Security and Medicare when it was clear the income from her novels could not support her in her old age. When pressed on it, she stated that she paid in, she should at least get that much out. When it was later pointed out that the payouts, particularly in medical bills, far exceeded everything she had ever paid in, she just shrugged it off."
They went on to say "She died after suffering from years of cancer - caused by her smoking, treatment paid for by the taxpayer's dime, damning a program that treated her illnesses while her followers used their 'rational self-interest' she advocated to decide not to help her pay." http://www.thefogbow.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=954&start=400 say her
That simply was not true. She opposed the idea and never signed up for benefits[5] and was not broke at the time of her death.[6]
There was an interesting rebuttal[6] to these evidently false accusations against Ayn Rand and the "by the anti-Ayn brigade".
Not the way it works
I noticed one comment in the article:
"... in 1966 Rand's Objectivist Newsletter said that not collecting from programs that one is forced to finance would be wrong. It said:
" ...the victims, who opposed such laws, have a clear right to any refund of their own money—and they would not advance the cause of freedom if they left their money unclaimed, for the benefit of the welfare-state administration."
I hear this all the time from people who want to collect SS payments now but the fact is there is no "refund of their own money".
That is not the nature of social security and there is no fund nor reserve fund to collect from. In fact, there is no money in any fund for Social Security. Any benefits taken will be extracted along with interest from your children and grandchildren.
Everything you apply for from Social Security curses your children with more debt.
I understand that at this point most people need help from or are completely dependent on Social Security and that dependance, and therefore bondage, was the plan.
But if anyone is ever going to be free in the world then people will need to start making the sacrifices that liberty requires. They will need to start doing what Christ said:
- "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33
The unseen choice
In an interview with Mike Wallace Miss Rand stated "... if I am challenging the base of all these institutions, I’m challenging the moral code of altruism. The precept that man’s moral duty is to live for others. That man must sacrifice himself to others. Which is the present day morality."
According to Herod and Hagel we may believe that government may have a right to take away from the people but that right must be granted for it to be just. Maybe this is why God told us to make no covenants.
- "He can always correct it. Man has free will. If a man wants love he should correct his weaknesses, or his flaws, and he may deserve it. But he cannot expect the unearned, neither in love, nor in money, neither in matter, nor spirit." Ayn Rand[7]
"Man has the free will to choose and to think. If they change their thinking we do not have to go into dictatorship."[7]
Changing your thinking is the meaning of "Repent!"
The choice is to seek the true kingdom of God and His righteousness which is a Pure Republic that proclaims "liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family."(Leviticus 25:10)
Today the people are a scattered flock where the slothful are under tribute and her princes are like wolves.[8]
- ↑ Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
- ↑ Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets [were] until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
- ↑ "But when a new generation arises and the democracy falls into the hands of the grandchildren of its founders, they have become so accustomed to freedom and equality that they no longer value them, and begin to aim at pre-eminence; and it is chiefly those of ample fortune who fall into this error. 6 So when they begin to lust for power and cannot attain it through themselves or their own good qualities, they ruin their estates, tempting and corrupting the people in every possible way. 7 And hence when by their foolish thirst for reputation they have created among the masses an appetite for gifts and the habit of receiving them, democracy in its turn is abolished and changes into a rule of force and violence. 8 For the people, having grown accustomed to feed at the expense of others and to depend for their livelihood on the property of others, as soon as they find a leader who is enterprising but is excluded from the houses of office by his penury, institute the rule of violence; 9 and now uniting their forces massacre, banish, and plunder, until they degenerate again into perfect savages and find once more a master and monarch." Polybius: The Histories (composed at Rome around 130 BC)Fragments of Book VI, p289 See also Loeb Classical Library edition, 1922 thru 1927
- ↑ An alternate translation in context, "9. For no sooner had the knowledge of the jealousy and hatred existing in the citizens against them which is replaced by democracy, emboldened some one to oppose the government by word or deed, than he was sure to find the whole people ready and prepared to take his side. Having then got rid of these rulers by assassination or exile, they do not venture to set up a king again, being still in terror of the injustice to which this led before; nor dare they intrust the common interests again to more than one, considering the recent example of their misconduct: and therefore, as the only sound hope left them is that which depends upon themselves, they are driven to take refuge in that; and so changed the constitution from an oligarchy to a democracy, and took upon themselves the superintendence and charge of the state. And as long as any survive who have had experience of oligarchical supremacy and domination, they regard their present constitution as a blessing, and hold equality and freedom as of the utmost value. But as soon as a new generation has arisen, and the democracy has descended to their children’s children, long association weakens their value for equality and freedom, and some seek to become more powerful than the ordinary citizens; and the most liable to this temptation are the rich. (which degenerates into rule of corruption and violence, only to be stopped by a return to despotism.) So when they begin to be fond of office, and find themselves unable to obtain it by their own unassisted efforts and their own merits, they ruin their estates, while enticing and corrupting the common people in every possible way. By which means when, in their senseless mania for reputation, they have made the populace ready and greedy to receive bribes, the virtue of democracy is destroyed, and it is transformed into a government of violence and the strong hand. For the mob, habituated to feed at the expense of others, and to have its hopes of a livelihood in the property of its neighbours, as soon as it has got a leader sufficiently ambitious and daring, being excluded by poverty from the sweets of civil honours, produces a reign of mere violence. Then come tumultuous assemblies, massacres, banishments, redivisions of land; until, after losing all trace of civilisation, it has once more found a master and a despot." Translator: Evelyn Shirley Shuckburgh, Release Date: November 8, 2013 [EBook #44126]
- ↑ "Pryor argued with Rand because Ayn did not want Social Security, nor did Rand go out and seek it, or Medicare, even though doing so was entirely consistent with her own ethics. What Pryor said was that she tried to convince Rand to sign up and they argued. Pryor says Rand "was never involved other than to sign the power of attorney. I did the rest." Beyond that Pryor said nothing else. There is no indication whether Pryor used the power of attorney to apply for benefits, or whether Rand knew about it. There is no indication that such benefits were ever used. There is simply no evidence to show Rand "Grabbed Social Security and Medicare When She Needed Them." "
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lying about Ayn Rand and Social Security TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2011
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Mike Wallace 1959 interviews of Ayn Rand.
- ↑ Wolves
- Habakkuk 1:8 "Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle [that] hasteth to eat. 9 They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up [as] the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand."
- Zephaniah 3:3 Her princes within her [are] roaring lions; her judges [are] evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
- Matthew 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.4 Her prophets [are] light [and] treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. 5 The just LORD [is] in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame."
- Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
- Luke 10:3 "Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves."
- Acts 20:29 "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock."