The Dalai Lama misses the point
Published Tue, May 25 2010 3:16 AM
I was reading AllahPundit’s article about the Dalai Lama’s statement that he’s a Marxist and something bothered me about it. Here’s what the Dalai Lama had to say…
“(Marxism has) moral ethics, whereas capitalism is only how to make profits,” the Dalai Lama, 74, said.
He went on to remark how Capitalism had raised the standard of living in China while pure Marxism had not, crediting Beijing’s embrace of market economics for breaking the iron fist of communism. In other words, he acknowledged that the philosophy with “moral ethics” left the people impoverished while the urge for profits had raised the standard of living for most Chinese.
At first you would think that the Dalai Lama is starting to get senile at 74 based on these statements. Either Marxism (communism) is morally superior to capitalism and should result in a better society and standard of living for its people or capitalism is morally superior because it results in a better society and standard of living.
I think the Dalai Lama is simply wrong.
Marxism has the appearance of moral ethics – it doesn’t actually have them. Neither for that matter does capitalism. Both systems by themselves produce “social injustice”. Marxism does this by punishing the innovators and entrepreneurs and capitalism does it by ignoring the downtrodden and the weak. Neither system by itself is ideal. Nor is a mix of the two such as we have today.
In fact, a mix of the two is ultimately just as bad, because it pits the “haves” and the “have nots” against one another. It punishes those factors that result in success under capitalism and rewards those that lead to failure and ruin. Ultimately it will have to collapse into chaos as we see in Greece, or destruction.
People have argued that the United States was founded as a capitalist nation. That’s simply not true. Nowhere in our founding documents do you find a mandate for capitalism. What you do find is a mandate for Liberty, and Independence. You find protection for the rights of the individual, particularly for the right of the individual to recognize and honor his Creator. Throughout the writings of the founders you will find statements that a virtuous and faithful people are fundamental to the success of a republic such as ours.
The founders recognized what the Dalai Lama, the Chinese government, and the political left do not. Capitalism by itself is morally bankrupt but liberty and a free commerce coupled with Judeo-Christian ethics and faith is a path to both prosperity and social justice – without coercion. And THAT is the system that they left to us. That’s also the system that the “social progressives” have willfully abandoned in our name.
Marxism uses the force of government to take from those that have to give to those that will not produce. Capitalism ignores the plight of those stricken by misfortune because it will not reward failure. Both of these are evils. Judeo-Christian faith produces voluntary sharing of accumulated wealth with those in actual need. That is true moral ethics.
It is not moral to reach into your neighbors pocket to give to the downtrodden. It is moral to reach into your own pocket to give to the downtrodden. Punishing success will ultimately have the affect of causing less success. Rewarding failure will ultimately have the affect of producing more failure.
The Dalai Lama and other leftists miss the point. What makes a great society isn’t Marxism or capitalism. It’s faith in God, coupled with the liberty to do His will that makes a man, or a nation, great. Isn’t it strange that a “religious leader” would miss the point so badly.
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David responded with:
 | "The Dalai Lama and other leftists miss the point. What makes a great society isn’t Marxism or capitalism. It’s faith in God, coupled with the liberty to do His will that makes a man, or a nation, great. Isn’t it strange that a “religious leader” would miss the point so badly."
I agree completely with your summation up until the final sentence. It is not strange to me that the Dalai Lama would "miss the point" given his religious views. In fact, I believe it is his religious views that drive his perceptions and bias toward an inherently evil mode of thought (Marxism). Not, of course, that pure capitalism is any less evil than Marxism in its disregard for those in genuine need.
I'd almost take things a step further in regard to this whole "isms" thing and say that any "ism" that seeks to impose itself on others is evil. Communism, capitalism, racism, absolutism--even conservatism and liberalism: all are abhorrent to me for similar reasons. All reduce complex situations to fit their limited views and all develop rabid adherents who attempt to impose their views on others. The Founders had it right: liberty hedged about and protected by the rule of law and given the power to do good by the providence of God beats any old ism hands down. |
ablur responded with:
 | We are only beginning to regain our understanding of our founders and what they actually gave us as a government. The push to understand original intent has offered me great hope. I know we have done much damage by failing to follow and adhere to the system we received but we are starting to return to basics. |
Angel responded with:
 | your'e right Perri..and Blessed Memorial day to ya my fellow soldier in the fight~!..:) |
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