Compassion and the State


We are all born possessing a generous measure of compassion. The good book says, “He who is without compassion cannot enter the Kingdom of God.”
But compassion is not the business of the state. The business of the state is to protect us from internal and external thugs. That is why early philosophers agreed to give that body we call the state, a monopoly of coercion.
The state uses force to apply the law. Police, guns, obedience to the edicts of the state. Various jail terms are used to punish serious misdemeanours and to exact obedience to the laws of the land.
In their enthusiasm many compassionate people advocate that the state tax funds from the productive sector of society to satisfy their feelings of compassion, to reward what ever or who ever is deserving of their particular passion.
Today we have those who were advocates of personal liberty and the market system, now advocating interventions by the state to satisfy their particular view.
Caught up in the lemming like behaviour of the fear of carbon dioxide, Senator Bob Brown’s misplaced compassion for the planet is advocating more state interventionism.
He stated today, “National action using Constitutional Powers is necessary to punish polluters.” Addressing the National Press Club on 9th July he stated that coal miners and those in the lumber business were criminals and should be treated as such.
The ultimate end result of such political advocacy ends up as a political leader turning into a Fuhrer.
Ronald Kitching
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