Dan McLaughlin

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To Home Page Latest Newsletter Column Archives Click to get these columns for your local paper	© 2006 Daniel J. McLaughlin A Gift To The World Christmas time in America and in many other countries is a special time for sharing and loving, for giving and receiving. The people of America have achieved a level of prosperity where even the poor of this country live a life that the majority of the people in the world can’t even dream of. Giving takes on a very different dimension. Sometimes it seems that there is such an emphasis on goodies that real giving takes a back seat. How can Americans be so greedy as to buy all this stuff for themselves when billions of people of the world are destitute and starving? The answer is, of course, that Americans are not all greedy, self serving people. There is a great concern and a very significant amount of charitable giving. Over the years, trillions of dollars have been donated to the needy of the world, through government aid and private charitable giving. There have been millions of hours of time devoted to their care. The sad reality is that all of that giving is in vain if there is no freedom. America became prosperous because it was free, and it developed from nothing because of free markets. Lack of property rights, lack of free markets, government planning and regulation, and corruption make it all but impossible for the people of a destitute nation to lift themselves up. Most less developed countries remain less developed, not because of competition from developed countries, but because economic freedom is choked out. Without property rights and protection of private property, there is very little incentive to save, to build for the future, to innovate, to produce more than the individual can currently consume. Without freedom to trade, with anyone, for any item, at any price the traders agree on, markets cannot develop. Without trade and markets, specialization and division of labor cannot occur, nor the tremendous economic leverage that goes with it. Violence, intimidation and terror from the government kills the spark of any development before it gets started. There is little hope for developing countries to improve without change in governance. The United Nations and the governments of developed countries employ armies of people around the world to dispense charity. The problem with that charity is that it does nothing to alleviate the real cause of the problems. Also, there are often strings attached. Socialist programs must be instituted, government controls must be put in place, and the citizens forced into some type of behavior. This only adds to the problems, while the infusion of money helps despotic leaders consolidate their wealth and power. It is interesting to note that most of the leaders of developing countries and world organizations were educated primarily in western universities. You would think that a western education would instill the ideas of capitalism and free markets. The irony of the situation is that most western universities have developed a strong bias against capitalism and a strong affinity to socialist ideology. Government leaders were mostly educated to shun the ideas of capitalism and economic freedom. Thus, it is understandable why nearly all developing countries have labored for decades against government intervention, socialist programs and anti-market sentiment. So, what can be done about it? People live in a world of institutions and organizations. Those institutions are built on ideas. Ideas carry incredible power. When millions of people exert influence, those ideas cannot help but transform the institutions. Today, it seems that the idea of individual liberty carries little weight, with our own government officials as well as world leaders. Freedom here has been taken for granted for so long that it’s importance is ignored. Most Americans recognize America as “the land of the free”, and most are familiar with the Declaration Of Independence, but few people talk about freedom or speak out when it is being abused, here or abroad. People accept the ideas of socialism and government control without questioning, because they come wrapped in good intentions. Become a champion of liberty. Correct those who perpetuate wrong ideas. Hold elected officials accountable for trampling freedom and supporting abusive institutions. Economic freedom is truly the most powerful force for development of societies. It is an idea that can change the world. Your choice to promote freedom can help the poor far more than any monetary contribution. So, give alms to the poor this Christmas, but also make a pledge to help promote the ideas of freedom in a world that sorely needs them.
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Daniel Mclaughlin Copyright © 2006 [Daniel McLaughlin]. All rights reserved. Revised: 03/18/08

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Daniel McLaughlin

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A Gift To The World

Christmas time in America and in many other countries is a special time for sharing and loving, for giving and receiving. The people of America have achieved a level of prosperity where even the poor of this country live a life that the majority of the people in the world can’t even dream of. Giving takes on a very different dimension. Sometimes it seems that there is such an emphasis on goodies that real giving takes a back seat. How can Americans be so greedy as to buy all this stuff for themselves when billions of people of the world are destitute and starving?

The answer is, of course, that Americans are not all greedy, self serving people. There is a great concern and a very significant amount of charitable giving. Over the years, trillions of dollars have been donated to the needy of the world, through government aid and private charitable giving. There have been millions of hours of time devoted to their care. The sad reality is that all of that giving is in vain if there is no freedom. America became prosperous because it was free, and it developed from nothing because of free markets.

Lack of property rights, lack of free markets, government planning and regulation, and corruption make it all but impossible for the people of a destitute nation to lift themselves up. Most less developed countries remain less developed, not because of competition from developed countries, but because economic freedom is choked out.

Without property rights and protection of private property, there is very little incentive to save, to build for the future, to innovate, to produce more than the individual can currently consume. Without freedom to trade, with anyone, for any item, at any price the traders agree on, markets cannot develop. Without trade and markets, specialization and division of labor cannot occur, nor the tremendous economic leverage that goes with it. Violence, intimidation and terror from the government kills the spark of any development before it gets started.

There is little hope for developing countries to improve without change in governance. The United Nations and the governments of developed countries employ armies of people around the world to dispense charity. The problem with that charity is that it does nothing to alleviate the real cause of the problems. Also, there are often strings attached. Socialist programs must be instituted, government controls must be put in place, and the citizens forced into some type of behavior. This only adds to the problems, while the infusion of money helps despotic leaders consolidate their wealth and power.

It is interesting to note that most of the leaders of developing countries and world organizations were educated primarily in western universities. You would think that a western education would instill the ideas of capitalism and free markets. The irony of the situation is that most western universities have developed a strong bias against capitalism and a strong affinity to socialist ideology.

Government leaders were mostly educated to shun the ideas of capitalism and economic freedom. Thus, it is understandable why nearly all developing countries have labored for decades against government intervention, socialist programs and anti-market sentiment.

So, what can be done about it?

People live in a world of institutions and organizations. Those institutions are built on ideas. Ideas carry incredible power. When millions of people exert influence, those ideas cannot help but transform the institutions.

Today, it seems that the idea of individual liberty carries little weight, with our own government officials as well as world leaders. Freedom here has been taken for granted for so long that it’s importance is ignored. Most Americans recognize America as “the land of the free”, and most are familiar with the Declaration Of Independence, but few people talk about freedom or speak out when it is being abused, here or abroad. People accept the ideas of socialism and government control without questioning, because they come wrapped in good intentions.

Become a champion of liberty. Correct those who perpetuate wrong ideas. Hold elected officials accountable for trampling freedom and supporting abusive institutions. Economic freedom is truly the most powerful force for development of societies. It is an idea that can change the world. Your choice to promote freedom can help the poor far more than any monetary contribution. So, give alms to the poor this Christmas, but also make a pledge to help promote the ideas of freedom in a world that sorely needs them.

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