A Growing Evil

In 1923 G.K. Chesterton was writing for the paper called The Illustrated London News. In March of that year he was in the middle of a debate between Socialism and Capitalism. He argues that neither of the speakers knew what they were talking about and neither of them knew the real problem in England. "They do not refer to the real problem of the present civilisation, which is not property, but the disproportion of property, and, for most people, the absence of property." He complains that the small farmer can not make a living from his own farm and has to go to work as a farm laborer on a commercial farm. Chesterton sees that the small craftsman cannot compete with factories. He concludes, "If we want property to be a part of the commonwealth, we must make it common, not in the sense of a communal ownership, but in the sense of a common experience." (March 31,1923).

The amazing thing is that Bob Herbert in the New York Times (November 30, 2010) reports the same evil in American economy. The bankers, the corporations have been experiencing the greatest profit period in the history of American economics. At the same time that people have been losing their homes, the unemployment rate has been at high levels, the profits of American corporations have been rising and the salaries and bonuses have continued to rise. The gap between the elite rich and the average American citizen has continued to grow and the number of people in the poverty level has been increasing. More and more wealth has become concentrated into the hands of fewer and fewer people. The billionaires have continued to buy political offices and to buy government positions either by running for office themselves or by paying for others to run.

It does not take a Ph.D in history to know that such a growing division is not good for the future of a country. It is the fertile ground for revolution. It is the condition out of which terrorists grow. It is the condition for all kinds of "populist powers" to arise. It is also the sign of a very evil and demonic system which can only end up in its own destruction. If dealing with this problem is condemned as socialism by Glenn Beck and others, then I would urge us to be socialist. If dealing with this is Social Gospel and a heresy, then I want to be a heretic and promote the Social Gospel. There runs throughout my reading of Scriptures the expectation that we will share the blessings of creation together.