May 2009 online issue of CityGal (then CitiGal)
"Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word: equality.
But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty,
socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude."
De Tocqueville (1848)
The Freedom to Choose
Women have long been influencing the politics and economics of
countries-whether or not they hold the visible seats of power. How and
whether a family survives amidst anarchy, poverty, despotism, or peace is
often a direct result of the family matriarch and her determination to see
her children living a better life.
A woman has the best opportunity to dramatically affect her own and her
family's situation in societies that legally consider all people equal in
the eyes of God-not as a part of a class or group as defined by other men
(e.g., rich, untouchable, working-class, slave, ethnic, victim...).
The story of the United States essentially begins by recognizing that every
individual has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In
a world where hardly anyone had ever had any of these three rights, the idea
that individuals are endowed with the power and right to pursue their own
interests and determine how they want to conduct their own lives was
revolutionary. It is still revolutionary today, because we can see and feel
our government officials taking away behaviors and lifestyle choices from
us. The more government controls how we conduct our lives, the less control
we, the people, have-and that includes women, of course.
Unfortunately, most Americans were and are taught history by someone who
scorns capitalism and believes in socialist goals. In other words, someone
who believes we are not born equal in the eyes of God, but need to be made
equal as defined by men. We reduce ourselves to children (or chattel) when
we allow others to determine what it means to be "equal" and to make
policies about how to conduct our lives. Freedom requires behavior that
leaves others free to live their lives the way they choose. Just as
destructive behavior results in less personal freedom, so does regulation.
How do policies intended to manipulate our behavior limit women's freedom?
By limiting everyone's freedom to work and live as they see fit. More than
200 years after he wrote of his wish to Count Sarsfield, John Adams would be
proud to find that we have remained a country of "...millions of freemen,
without one noble or one king among them."[1]
"Equal" pay, redistribution, and regulation of behaviors all require
subjective determination. Who then determines what is "equal," a fair
distribution, or worthy behavior? Is it market forces resulting from
decisions made by millions of individuals that reflect their personal needs
and dreams? Or, a few government bureaucrats who think their elite
educations make them know best? Is it your own common sense and ethics or
busy-bodies who want their own agendas imposed on everyone?
Hillary Clinton revealed her own belief in socialism, when she told students
that "Fairness doesn't just happen. It requires the right government
policies."[2] Again, fairness is purely subjective. People have a right to
disagree. In a free society, where the government serves the people, we may
not agree about what we want to do and how we want to behave. However, as
long as we both can do what we want without interfering with each other's
right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, then we both have enough
power and influence to better our own and our children's lives.
[1] hat tip to PatriotPost.US-Founder's Quote Daily 3/25/09
[2] http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1841450/posts
But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty,
socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude."
De Tocqueville (1848)
The Freedom to Choose
Women have long been influencing the politics and economics of
countries-whether or not they hold the visible seats of power. How and
whether a family survives amidst anarchy, poverty, despotism, or peace is
often a direct result of the family matriarch and her determination to see
her children living a better life.
A woman has the best opportunity to dramatically affect her own and her
family's situation in societies that legally consider all people equal in
the eyes of God-not as a part of a class or group as defined by other men
(e.g., rich, untouchable, working-class, slave, ethnic, victim...).
The story of the United States essentially begins by recognizing that every
individual has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In
a world where hardly anyone had ever had any of these three rights, the idea
that individuals are endowed with the power and right to pursue their own
interests and determine how they want to conduct their own lives was
revolutionary. It is still revolutionary today, because we can see and feel
our government officials taking away behaviors and lifestyle choices from
us. The more government controls how we conduct our lives, the less control
we, the people, have-and that includes women, of course.
Unfortunately, most Americans were and are taught history by someone who
scorns capitalism and believes in socialist goals. In other words, someone
who believes we are not born equal in the eyes of God, but need to be made
equal as defined by men. We reduce ourselves to children (or chattel) when
we allow others to determine what it means to be "equal" and to make
policies about how to conduct our lives. Freedom requires behavior that
leaves others free to live their lives the way they choose. Just as
destructive behavior results in less personal freedom, so does regulation.
How do policies intended to manipulate our behavior limit women's freedom?
By limiting everyone's freedom to work and live as they see fit. More than
200 years after he wrote of his wish to Count Sarsfield, John Adams would be
proud to find that we have remained a country of "...millions of freemen,
without one noble or one king among them."[1]
"Equal" pay, redistribution, and regulation of behaviors all require
subjective determination. Who then determines what is "equal," a fair
distribution, or worthy behavior? Is it market forces resulting from
decisions made by millions of individuals that reflect their personal needs
and dreams? Or, a few government bureaucrats who think their elite
educations make them know best? Is it your own common sense and ethics or
busy-bodies who want their own agendas imposed on everyone?
Hillary Clinton revealed her own belief in socialism, when she told students
that "Fairness doesn't just happen. It requires the right government
policies."[2] Again, fairness is purely subjective. People have a right to
disagree. In a free society, where the government serves the people, we may
not agree about what we want to do and how we want to behave. However, as
long as we both can do what we want without interfering with each other's
right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, then we both have enough
power and influence to better our own and our children's lives.
[1] hat tip to PatriotPost.US-Founder's Quote Daily 3/25/09
[2] http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1841450/posts