The Freeman 1972 - The Ludwig von Mises Institute

72 THE FREEMAN FebruaryMy point is that such is the inevitableresult of government interventionin the financial affairsof its citizens. When governmentassumes the "right'" to manipulateeconomic matters, where does itdraw the line? Thus far, in America,it has not seen fit to draw anyline at all. And herein lies the danger.Anything goes, if enoughpressure is applied in the "rightplaces." It is a, shameful abuse ofa political system designed to limitthe powers of government in orderthat the people might be free ofgovernment compulsion. If it wereotherwise, (i.e., consistent withour fundamental principles), whyis such effort made to hide thetruth?The attempt to conceal the trendtoward statism in America, is evidencedby the increasing use ofevasive semantics. The economicpolicies outlined in the CommunistManifesto are written into law inthe United States of America underthe heading of "social legislation."Individual liberty is graduallyreplaced by "the needs of achanging society," i.e., collectivism.And our "mixed" economy is movingsteadily toward a "new" versionof full-fledged fascism underthe heading of "responsive government."Economic control lis the key topolitical dictatorship. And conversely,capitalism is the key topolitical freedom. Observe thatcapitalism has been the primarytarget of communism from theoutset. Communism, as an economicsystem, can't hold a candle tocapitalism. But.it is the most effectivesystem of political dictatorshipever devised, precisely becausethe individual has no propertyrights.Cause and EffectWhen are we going to see theconnection? Why don't we see itnow? We can't have our cake andeat it too. America is no more immuneto the natural law of causeand effect than any other nation,past or present. The strength ofany nation lies in its consistentdevotion to its own stated principles.Communism isn't spreadingbecause it's a better system. Itspreads because communists aresteadfastly committed to everyfacet of communism; and no similarcommitment to capitalismstands in its way.Americans have been apologizingfor and compromising capitalism,at first slowly, but with increasingrapidity throughout mostof this century. Where once wehad a, simple government structurebased on a solid foundation, wenow have a gigantic superstructureresting on a mish-mash ofcontradictory inconsistencies.Where once we had a· thriving,