Writing well over 2000 years ago, Aristotle answered Plato, whose
Republic advocated a form of socialism, thusly:
What is common to the greatest number gets the least amount of
care. People pay most attention to what is their own: they care
less for what is common; or, at any rate, they care for it only
to the extent to which each is individually concerned. Even
when there is no other cause for inattention, people are more
prone to neglect their duty when they think that another
attending to it . . .
The Republic advocated that women and children also be
common property. What Aristotle wrote about sons applies to other
things, as well:
[Under the plan of The Republic] each citizen will
have a thousand sons; they will not be the sons of each citizen
individually; any son whatever will be equally the son of any
father whatever. The result will be that all will neglect all.
In other words, the word “son” loses its meaning when abused in
this fashion. The same is true of the concept of property.
Aristotle is right. We love the particular, not the general. Good
philosophies of government will recognize that and will thus
operate on a human scale as much as possible. Socialism fails in
that regard and thus loses all the non-coercive power of simple
affection and care.
topics:
Socialism
