Good Quotes from Church Handbooks
We … declare that God is grieved by war and that he will hold subject to the eternal punishments of his will those who wage it unrighteously.
We affirm that all international controversies may be settled by [peaceful] means if nations will but deal unselfishly and righteously one with another. We appeal to the leaders of all nations and to the people themselves thus to mend and adjust their differences, lest the vials of God’s wrath be poured out upon the earth, for he has said he will visit his wrath upon the wicked without measure.
-Heber J. Grant
But since all capitalistic systems are founded upon the institution of private property, inheritance and the profit motive, great inequalities of ownership and income inevitably result. ...Among the more plausible suggestions offered to correct existing abuses without adversely affecting the productive system, is to continue the socialization of our service institutions through a system of progressive taxation based upon ability to pay...taking the bulk of their [captains of industry] profits to finance free education, free libraries, free public parks and recreation centers, unemployment insurance, old age benefits, sickness and accident insurance, and perhaps eventually free medical aid and hospital service. ...The average family may not have much more money, if any, to spend under such a system than now. But...then the meagre family income can be devoted entirely to the necessities of life, plus some of the comforts now enjoyed by the higher income classes. ...To finance all of this, of course, will necessitate huge sums of money. ...And it will also require a carefully worked out tax system so that every one will contribute according to his financial ability. Inheritance and estate taxes will become progressively higher, until the present system of permitting large fortunes to be passed on from generation to generation will become extinct. And incidentally, the so-called idle rich who have been living on the earnings of past generations will be no more.
LDS Melchizedek Priesthood Study Guide, 1939, copyright by Heber C. Grant (Grant, 1938 cited in Johnson)
posted by Jared at 1:13 PM
3 Comments:
Caroline,
I'm not saying anything. President Heber J. Grant is saying this. You cite founding fathers as authorities. I cite a prophet of God. Are you suggesting that there was something going on in Church History during president Grant's administration that makes his suggestions not true? I am interested in your response.
Relatedly, here is how Richard Johnson, a BYU professor, responds to your thoughts on innovation. Refering to the plan suggested by Heber J. Grant, he says, "The above "plan" for equalizing living standards and life chances for Americans may or may not be politically or economically desirable or possible. Some economists, for example, tell me that providing such a social "safety net" of basic human rights (shelter, food, access to medical care, education) would not be an "efficient" system, that it would remove incentive for work and advancement. Their argument seems to be that the presence of suffering and deprivation is useful, because others will therefore try harder to avoid joining the sufferers. I resist accepting such a pessimistic and self-fulfilling view of humanity. Of course people will act selfishly if they are socialized in a system within which selfishness is routinely assumed and rewarded. I can, on the other hand, imagine good people acting in the best long-term interests of their community, even at immediate personal expense. I can also imagine a generous social safety net acting to increase rather than decrease entrepreneurial incentive and enterprise, by reducing the awful cost of failure that looms over prospective entrepreneurs in a "safety net-free" setting (namely, jeopardizing the health, education, and safety of one's children).
"But I digress. The point here is not to recommend any particular plan (including the one quoted above), and I am not doing so. The point is simply to note that even such a seemingly radical plan as the one cited above cannot be written off as un-Christian or anti-Mormon simply because it involves taxing and spending. It is perfectly consistent (as are countless other private and public approaches) with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Its source, it turns out, is the LDS Melchizedek Priesthood Study Guide for the year 1939, copyright by Heber J. Grant (Grant, 1938). I cite it only to reject the notion that the eternal principle of "free agency" somehow translates into an economic system of "free capitalism." They are not the same. Such an equation strikes me as terribly ironic and potentially terribly tragic. Of course we can question the wisdom of specific government programs, or in general prefer private to public efforts. Those are not basic moral issues. But when the public nature of a program is used as an excuse to do nothing or to selfishly cling to one's wealth while others suffer, wickedness has entered the picture."
October 18, 2004 at 12:18 PM
Caroline,
First, my response to economic incentive mirrors that of professor Johnson. I cite him because a)he says it well and b)to give him credit. I understand your argument that taxes take away incentive, but I just don't find it compelling. I don't believe Americans strategically plan to earn significantly less than they possibly could because they don't want the government to have ANY MORE MONEY.
Second, the fact that not all people want to behave morally with their money is exactly why the government needs to be a moral institution and intervene.
Third, I think that President Grant's logic is compelling in this. In God's eyes, being financially successful doesn't mean that your children deserve health care more than a poor family's. Why do you insist on the morality of wealth?
Fourth, the candidate that I support is considerably LESS liberal economically than Heber J. Grant. I find that interesting.
Fifth, the democratic party is not suggesting that the middle class be taxed more than they are now, and neither am I.
Sixth, Mr. Kerry actually proposes a tax cut for businesses to increase market incentives. Did you already know this?
Seventh, can I assume that you agree all the aspects of my quotes and analysis except about the graded tax? I am curious about how you see the morality of capitalism, war, letting children go without needed medical care, etc.
October 29, 2004 at 1:39 PM
p.s. Thank you for your comments in my lesson yesterday. You really helped it to go well. I think you are a pretty impressive human being and I respect you a lot.
October 29, 2004 at 1:44 PM
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