Teacher: Connie Doonan

Freedom Versus Equality

By Justin Reiter

12th Grade

Lawrence Reed once said: “If people are free, they will not earn equal incomes; conversely, show me a people who have equal incomes and I will show you a people who are not free.” After reading this quote there are a few things to think about. First, are Americans equal? Yes and no. Second, are Americans free? Yes. Americans are free but with that freedom they give up a certain amount of equality. Americans are not equal in the sense that they all have the same incomes and all live in the same social class; rather they are equal in the sense that they all have the same opportunity to make something out of their lives. Americans are equal in a way that they all live and work under the same set of rules and guidelines.

In this country it is the people who run the economy, and it is the people who make up the millions of different jobs. It’s the individual person’s choice which jobs they choose to pursue. Even if they can’t be successful in that job, their next selection and their selection after that is also their choice. So if a person chooses to become a doctor, they will make a higher amount of money than a teacher, but they may not be as happy if they just choose the job for the money. In this society, it is the less advantaged person who wants the equality. The well off don’t want everyone to rise to their status because they like having something over someone else. The lower class strives to be in the middle class, and the upper class strives to keep their position at the top. The middle class strives not to drop to the lower level but to inch their way to the top. They know that if this were a truly equal country, they wouldn’t have the ability to gain more.

In a communistic country it is believed that a country should be a classless society. It is also looked upon that the more mediocre you are the better off you will be. People who strive to excel are punished or looked down upon. They also believe that every person has an equal right to economic goods, but that couldn’t be farther away from what is believed in America. Everyone has an equal right to be poor or to have loads of money; everyone also has the right to live in a house or a box. No matter what happens to a person, it is largely their independent choices that make up their life. They have that freedom and share that equality with every American. Therefore, Americans are happier living in a country with huge mansions overlooking the lake and huge cities filled with thousands of homeless people than they would be if America had everyone living in one class where everyone has the same amount, and no one is better or worse off than anyone else. No one can be blamed for this because people have a natural greed to always want more and to not lose what they have already worked to gain. There is only one place where all Americans will be truly equal and that is in death. After you die it does not matter how much money you had or where you lived, the only thing that matters is that you are dead, and you are no better or worse than the guy in the cemetery next to you.

People would rather live in this country, even though it is not equal to all, rather than give up what they have or what they are working for. That is why America is one of the strongest countries in the world; we let the people decide and then give them what they want. Not every country is designed to work like this, and if the people are not accustomed to the freedom, they will be angered by the inequality.

Answers To Questions Prompted By The Required Reading

Q1- Why does Machan use "steal" in his statement: "Private property solves this problem, but was abandoned a long time ago when taxes reached the point where we can steal our way to being provided with all sorts of things we desire, never mind thinking about paying for them or long-range budgeting."?

A1-With all of the government programs, we are still being given more resources or funding and not helping or wanting to help pay for it like we should.

Q2- Machan said: "For that which is common to the greatest number has the least care bestowed upon it." Give two examples of this from your personal experience.

A2-In schools everyone is used to the resources being there for their children but they don’t worry about or care that without help and the proper funding the school can not function in a way that will be useful to society. Also instead of using government funding to build new sites for entertainment, the money could be more wisely used to help get the homeless of the street by building more shelters or facilities designed to help with their certain needs.

Q3- Do you agree with Machan that "...everybody is more inclined to neglect the duty which he expects another to fulfill; as in families many attendants are often less useful than a few."? Give an objective example of this.

A3-I agree with him and believe the children in a household would be better off with a part time job. They automatically expect the parents to buy and provide them with everything they need but most don’t stop and think that it may be hard to get them all the stuff they want and need. A part time job would not only give the child some money for their self but it would teach them to be more responsible and help in their understanding of their parents financing.

Q4- State Kershner's First Law. Do you agree or disagree and why?

A4-“When a self governing people confer upon their government the power to take from some and give to others, the process will not stop until the last bone of the last taxpayer is picked bare.” I disagree because the government only gives to the people who ask for and can prove that they need it and also the government does not take such a large amount of money that thriving us made impossible. The money taken is used for the common good of the nation’s citizens.

Q5- What industry was the first to be taken over by government in both ancient Rome and the USA?

A5-Transpertation shipping.

Q6- Is cheapened money the cause or the outcome of inflation? Explain.

A6- It is the cause. When the money is made of nothing of value or is not backed up by something of value then it becomes worthless. As the money is made cheap its value drops and causes inflation. It takes much more of the “junk” money to equal the price of items.

Q7- How did the Edict of 301 affect Rome's economy?

A7-It pressed the people into chaos. They could no longer afford to bring their items to market because they were unable to raise the price to a point where they could make a profit without being put to death. The economy itself suffered greatly as a result of the lack of commerce.

Q8- Lee claims that individuals could be "entirely independent of others" except for what? Explain.

A8- Except for scarcity. Without scarcity anyone could do anything they wanted and it would have no impact on anyone. With the scarcity we live with, almost everything we do affects someone and must be regulated by some spoken or unspoken rule.

Q9- Describe the dilemma concerning rules as discussed by Lee.

A9-With the rule of force people could do whatever they wanted as long as they were stronger than the ones they were imposing their force upon. Nothing would be fair or equal; it would all by a game of survival of the fittest. People would be less inclined to try and improve their holdings because of the fear that it would just be taken away by someone stronger. If there become to many rules, one’s liberties are still impeded upon. Many people, though, are willing to give up a small amount of liberty to ensure their safety.

Q10- Why is the concept of private property crucial to freedom?

A10-The ability to have private property is essential to being free. Without private property people would have to rely more on the government for housing or recreation. Without private property a person would not truly be able to do what he/she wanted because of the lack of authority over the territory. The concept also gives large amounts of liberty to people because of their ability to choose how to maintain and control their property. Every decision they make will have a consequence or a price to be paid that will enable them to truly express their freedom.

Q11- Argue both pro and con that in his testimony Lawrence Reed was advocating compassion and aid for the poor

A11-He said that welfare encouraged people to slack off, cost the tax payers a bundle, and created pathologies that will take generations to fix. This is against aid because he is listing all of the bad things about giving aid to the less fortunate. He also talks about how the government spends to much money on some things and therefore they don’t have as much money left to help the poor wit.

Q12- "If people are free, they will not earn equal incomes; conversely, show me a people who have equal incomes and I will show you a people who are not free." Explain in your own words Mr. Reed's meaning.

A12- Americans are equal. But they are only truly equal in the fact that everyone has an equal chance of going the distance and succeeding in life. The freedom of the United States allows us to study for and become anything we want if we work hard enough, but even though we are all equal in our opportunity to succeed some people work harder or get luckier and it allows them to become more successful.

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