The next time someone comes to you with an argument about redistributing wealth, and you hedge a bit, and they retort with "Hey, we're not trying to take what you've got to punish you for being rich. It's just that we want something off the top shelf, and you're the only one tall enough to get it!" Tell them that it's your shelf they want something off of.
I'm not going to say we shouldn't help the poor; we should. But there is more than one way to give to them, and while they all have their place, redistributing wealth does not impart the same momentum to the economy as creating wealth does.
There is the preferential option for the poor, and there is the universal destination of goods. But there is also private property because in this world we tend to be better at managing things we are directly responsible for. The person who wants to give away stuff on your shelf doesn't understand that, and I don't want someone like that trying to run a charity.
I'm not going to say we shouldn't help the poor; we should. But there is more than one way to give to them, and while they all have their place, redistributing wealth does not impart the same momentum to the economy as creating wealth does.
There is the preferential option for the poor, and there is the universal destination of goods. But there is also private property because in this world we tend to be better at managing things we are directly responsible for. The person who wants to give away stuff on your shelf doesn't understand that, and I don't want someone like that trying to run a charity.
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