New Zealand has a social welfare state. It is fairly generous. Where I live, we have social housing paid for out of the rates (property taxes) and city owned businesses, including the forests I was photographing yesterday. I may grumble about my rates, but that relates more to the ego-driven building of a stadium than the fact that we have affordable housing: indeed the average working family can still buy a simple house here.
Which is all to the good.
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
Blessed is the one who considers the poor!
In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him;
the LORD protects him and keeps him alive;
he is called blessed in the land;
you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.
The LORD sustains him on his sickbed;
in his illness you restore him to full health.
Now, the economic situation world-wide is dire: in Australasia we are somewhat shielded by three factors (a) we paid our debt down when times were good, (b) we export things people need: food, iron ore, timber, wool, uranium… and (c) we have big moats around us (The Australian continent functions as an Island, and most of the Zealandia continent is drowned), which means we can control our immigration somewhat. But in Europe this is much worse. I’m quoting Thomas Piketty here.
It’s time for us to think about the young generation of Europeans. For many of them, it is extremely difficult to find work at all. Should we tell them: “Sorry, but your parents and grandparents are the reason you can’t find a job?” Do we really want a European model of cross-generational collective punishment? It is this egotism motivated by nationalism that disconcerts me more than anything else today.
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Everyone is dissatisfied, because this entire system of negotiations between the governments and the Brussels bureaucracy doesn’t work. Countries like Germany complain because we are not abiding by the deficit rules. But the French aren’t amused by the requirements being imposed by Brussels. We Europeans are in a bad situation, and minor structural reforms, which we hope will provide us with a little growth, won’t do anything to change that.
His solution is to move to a true Federated state of Europe, with not merely a common currency, but common taxation [1], and a common parliament. To double down on the European Empire. Despite acknowledging that the current situation is inspiring a hatred of the bureaux that control Europe: Brussels is the symbol because the Eurocrats have taken over that city.
I am skeptical of big solutions. Very skeptical. I have seen these: I am old enough to remember the quasi socialist state of Kirk and Muldoon, and unlike Chris Trotter I disliked that period. I disliked being forced into a union, and being quite aware that if I did not attend meetings and vote for strikes my (the 15-year-old) body would have been found bruised and bleeding, at least: besides my Grandfather helped break the 1953 strike and on the other side of the family I think we had members of Massey’s Cossacks.
The duties of the rich to the poor should be practical, common, personal and unregulated. Consider for a second the passage for today.
On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
There are two parts to this. The first is that we should not let the regulations of our self-righteousness get in the way of doing good. This applied particularly to the Sabbath in Galilee: the more radical Pharisees would have argued that a physician should let someone die rather than work (an argument that the compilers of the Talmud rejected: Christ here, by the most orthodox standard, did not break the law). Yet Christ took care of simple material needs.
So should we. I consider one of the roles of the church is to provide the storehouse, and a place to dispense charity [2]: at times to regulate it. And the times are getting harder. James Rawles speaks wisely on this.
Going hand-in-hand with charity is civility. Hard times call for increased caution, but unless you are facing a bad element, there is no need to be mean or offensive. When dealing with neighbors, do your best to keep up he standards or normal pre-Crunch civil interaction. Be courteous, be helpful, be generous, and in all ways pitch in to be a good neighbor. Just be very circumspect about your preparations. Always keep the “need to know” rule in mind, and drill it into the heads of your family members. Unless a neighbor truly needs to know, then you should not mention–or allow to be seen–the nature nor the extent of your preparations. Just make it clear that you have “a little extra” of this or that, to help out neighbors that are in genuine need.
In contrast, when dealing with strangers, it is best to be far more firm but non-threatening. Just leave them with the subtle impression that you are not one to be trifled with.The sight of pistol on your hip or a rifle close at hand speaks volumes. If you want to help refugees that are transiting your area, then please show the foresight do so anonymously through an intermediary, such as your local church. By donating some of your storage food to your church, you’ll be able to look firm and resilient to refugees, yet still have good news for them. You can honestly say: “Some people in the community have been leaving food and warm clothing at the church 1/2 mile down the road. It is at 123 Main Street. They will be able to help you. God bless you.” Note that this was carefully phrased in a neutral way, not indicating that you were the donor.
And if needed. guard your church. Be aware that when the times are harsh you may find that the state will confiscate your savings, confiscate your stores, and try to regulate how you give. Do not let them. There is a time for civil disobedience, and a time when the state has to be fled. Even, if as I, you live at the end of the world.
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1. Piketty recommends swingeing taxation — approaching 80%, on the rich. Well, France tried that a few years ago: the Rich suddenly found their loyalties lay in Switzerland, in Russia or Ireland, or Monaco. There are not sufficient rich, so progressive taxation cuts into the middle class, who become impoverished. This poverty would horrify Piketty, but not the more radical socialists.
2. I am an advocate of regular giving to your local kirk: I believe you should not be too picky in choosing a church. Ideally, you should be able to walk there. The idea of driving miles past congregations does not appeal. But then, you need to hold the pastorate and priesthood accountable for how they dispense charity. At my local Kirk, if you have no money, you can give food or produce, which goes to a collective food bank. That model works, and provides a safety net for those who do not meet the very precise qualifications of the public dole.