The Freeman 1972 - The Ludwig von Mises Institute

1972 ARE WE MARXIANS NOW? 453have radically changed our politicalparties and our churches. Theyhave given rise to a gigantic laborunion movement and to the "NewDeal" in social and economic matters.In fact, the exploitationtheory determines our basic "economic"policies at all levels ofgovernment.Labor PolicyThe ever-growing mass of laborlegislation is one of the fruits ofthe exploitation theory. Its advocatescredit modern social policyfor having reduced the work weekto 48, 44, and 40 hours, or·evenless. They applaud labor legislationfor having eliminatedwomen's and children's labor. Andthey ascribe the present rate ofwages to the minimum wage ratesset by authoritative intervention.Indeed, practically all labor fmprovementsare credited to sociallegislation and labor union intervention.Compulsory social insurance, includingunemployment assistance,Medicare and Medicaid, stem fromthe same intellectual roots. Capitalismis said to be incapable ofgiving sustenance to· the unemployed,sick, or aged laborers.Therefore, social policy must assuredecent living conditions to anever-larger part of the population.Also, modern taxation reflectsour adoption of the exploitationtheory. Most taxes aim not only atraising revenue but also at correctingor alleviating the alleged evilsof our economic system. Sometaxes aim at a "redistribution" ofwealth and income. Confiscatoryrates are imposed on entrepreneursand capitalists whose income andcapital are thus transformed intogoods for consumption by the "underprivileged."Other taxes aim atchanging business customs andconduct or at regulating productionandtrade. All presidentialcandidates promise more of thesame.Our labor unions derive theirvery justification for existencefrom the exploitation doctrine.Few Americans would disclaimthe boast of union leaders thattheir unions have raised, and stillare raising, wages for all workersthrough association and collectivebargaining. American public opinionbelieves that recent history hasproved the beneficial nature oftrade unionism without whichworkers would be subjugated tothe greed and arbitrariness oftheir employers. Because of thecommon fear of labor exploitation,the people suffer strikes or threatsof strikes, union coercion and violence,and endless agitation of hateand envy by labor leaders againstthe wicked selfishness of exploiters.To many millions of Americans,membership in a labor union is an