The Conservatory - 11

There is a rather serious problem in being a socialist. If you want any credibility, then you should stand up for what you believe in. Unfortunately for socialists, it is rather easy to do this.

They can donate extra money to the Government. They can stop using private schools and hospitals. They can pay their employees $15 an hour. They can take their pick from whichever movement or ideal they support. And then they can burn several hundred dollars a year to make up for the extra bureaucrats they don’t have to pay.
If they don’t, it’s a little hypocritical. It is one thing to sit on your high horse as a middle-class (or even worse, upper class) charlatan and proclaim you believe in socialism. But having the tools to put your beliefs into practice and then refusing to use them is spineless and it should stop. Case in point: Sam Morgan complains he doesn’t pay tax. First, if he has any money earning interest in the bank, he will be paying tax. On top of this, there is nothing stopping him from – and the Finance Minister has even invited him to do so – paying extra tax on top of what he does already. Just whatever he thinks is fair would be nice.
It is no use complaining you don’t pay tax, and then nicely suggesting that the Government start taxing you (and therefore everyone else in your position) more. You might not think it’s very fair – well then, put your money where your mouth is and do something about it. Be proactive, it isn’t very hard.
And it’s wrong to donate it to charity. If you think the Government is better at spending money than private organisations, it would be irresponsible to support charities. 
I can support charities if I choose to, but then I believe in the private sector. I believe in the ability to choose how to spend your own money. But I am limited: if I want to take out private accident cover, ACC stops me. I suppose if I want to pay less tax I could try. But IRD might have something to say. I should also note that I am taking out a student loan, and this is in line with my belief that the Government should support students who do well at a tertiary level. Of course I benefit from Government spending, and of course I cannot do anything about that if I tried. But that’s a problem socialists don’t have. 
Perhaps part of the problem comes down to being responsible for your actions. I believe in this, so I try to take responsibility for what I do well, and what I don’t. Perhaps socialists, who believe in the state taking charge and shouldering blame for their failure, don’t know how to do something for themselves, or how to take responsibility for their beliefs. Or perhaps these feel-good socialists are looking for an easy way to assuage some misplaced guilt, rather than really helping out in the world.

Posted 3:34pm Sunday 11th July 2010 by Edward Greig.