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“You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.”
No Free Lunch
There aren’t any. The late Adrian Rogers is one of several iconic former pastors of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis (Full disclosure: my wife and I are members). He had a wonderful ability to state complex principles in clear, concise, vivid language. I got this quote via email earlier today; it’s a pretty clear statement of the principle that there is no free lunch (HT: Adrienne Brumley).
You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.
I assume this came from one of his radio messages. Here’s a different (but very similar) quote from one of his books:
Let me say a word here that may sound political. I hope not, because I believe it’s moral and biblical. You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the industrious out of it. You don’t multiply wealth by dividing it. Government cannot give anything to anybody that it doesn’t first take from somebody else.
Whenever somebody receives something without working for it, somebody else has to work for it without receiving. The worst thing that can happen to a nation is for half of the people to get the idea they don’t have to work because somebody else will work for them, and the other half to get the idea that it does no good to work because they don’t get to enjoy the fruit of their labor. (Adrian Rogers, Ten Secrets for a Successful Family: A Perfect 10 for Homes that Win. Crossway Books, 1998, p. 138).
Both passages could be taken out of Frederic Bastiat’s The Law (PDF here, audiobook here, courtesy of theMises Institute).
The problem
In 1976, the Alberta government told an Edmonton farmer his private land was to be turned into a park and offered him a pittance for compensation; it was only in court years later that the province was forced to admit it actually wanted his land for a highway—which would have triggered much higher compensation. In Vancouver in 2000, the City told the Canadian Pacific Railway that CPR land was henceforth to be a public space—and that no compensation would ever be paid; six years later, the Supreme Court of Canada endorsed the de facto confiscation.
What do these two cases — one from a private landowner with limited resources and one from a corporation with much deeper pockets — have in common? Both are examples of how government regulation can and does restrict the use of property to such an extent that such restrictions are akin to expropriation. Except that when governments use regulation to seize property, compensation is often small or in most cases, non-existent.
In some cases, that is precisely why governments use regulation: it allows them to avoid paying compensation that would otherwise be due if expropriation statutes were in play. Here’s how it works: the regulation is imposed; the freeze or partial freeze occurs; the devaluation results; little or no compensation is offered.
The remedy from Europe
This book points the way out of such undesirable policies while also recognizing the reality and desirability of some regulation. The book includes international examples of compensation for what’s known as “regulatory takings” and outlines how countries such as Sweden, Finland, Germany, Holland, Israel, and others treat private property owners much more fairly, providing compensation for regulations that “freeze” one’s property. Stealth Confiscation offers examples of such sensible policy, explains Canada’s historic attachment to property rights, and analyzes recent initiatives for both legislative and constitutional reform.
….read the entire 72 page report HERE
I’m just smiling thinking of the United Nations. Certain groups like to beat you over the head with the United Nations saying this isn’t sanctioned by the United Nations, or that isn’t sanctioned by the United Nations when it suits them. But man do they turn a blind eye with so much that happens with that organization.
The one I am referring to you may have heard this week, the UN World Tourism Organization, created in 1970 by a little tax free action in Madrid, is responsible for sustainable and universally accessible tourism. Well it announced last year that Zambia and Zimbabwe, in their words won the bid to host the 20th session of United Nations World Tourism General Assembly this coming year. This is unbelievable to me, but Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe was named the UN Tourism Ambassador. Now come on. Its really interesting to watch the UN try and backtrack. Is there anything to be said about this given the list of atrocities Mugabe has committed in his own country? Of all the people to represent International Tourism.
But Canada to our Credit has withdrawn from the UN World Tourism Office because of this recognition of Zimbabwe. Its astounding, this organization is so farcical at times. Much like when Muammar Gaddafi was the head of the UN Human Rights Commission.
So that’s my Goofy Award.
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