Freedom and Economic Equality Can't Co-exist

[The_gateway]

What we as individuals strive to achieve should be up to us. While I do believe there should be some sort of social safety net for certain people, I have been strongly against welfare just for the sake of welfare.
As I put in another post, In Canada we have been spending billions to "help" marginalized people via health care, education opportunities and subsidized housing. Have we seen a good return on our investment? Heavens no.
If anything, having a gravy train inhibits ambition. There is no motivation to better your life when your palm is always full with handouts.

I am a believer in a free market society, and feel very strongly that a persons level of success should be determined by the effort put in. Some people are okay with living a meager existence. I'm okay with that. What I am not okay with is supporting someone else because they lack the ambition to fully succeed on their own.

Good post BTW

[jetgraphics]

But freedom and equitable trade can exist - if government gets out of the way.

[SoCalbound12]

Originally Posted by DRob4JC

Freedom and Economic Equality Can't Co-exist

This is a principle.

Everyone is different. We have different levels of motivation, different interests, different goals, different environments, etc. Therefore these different interests will results in different paths of life, resulting in different economic outcomes.

The only way to achieve economic equality is through harsh government regulation. And from history and other countries - any attempt of economic equality results in the majority of the population being poor. I suppose you could say that the outcome is equal if most are poor - but who wants that?

One person wants to own a large business -- another wants a small business -- another is content to be a worker who spend a lot of time with family. Should the large business owner be forced to give away his money to support the lives of those with lesser motivations?

This country is based on freedom - not economic equality.

I am OK with short term welfare for people to get back on their feet - but the goal should be for all people to be free and work and support themselves - not to be fully supported by other citizens through government regulation, especially on a widespead basis as we have today.

Great post. The Constitution promises "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," it says nothing about economic equality. You cannot guarantee outcomes unless you're guaranteeing mediocrity.