[]Leonard Read, creator of the Structure for Economic Education and who wrote about public laws for about a decade longer than I have, likewise needed to combat the distortions produced by the 24/7 linguistic confusion factories that feed off federal government development beyond its warranted role of protecting our rights, which allows the production of vast possible Peter-to-Paul redistributions. Read’s reflections on this issue in “Loot,” chapter 3 of his 1978 book Vision, are worth bringing back to light, as existing politics revolves around more looting than ever in the past.
[]Concepts … shape our way of living and mold our very being. Nevertheless, we believe in words; and what we mean by the words we utilize, and what others think we mean by them, may range from the brilliant lights of creativity to the dark shadows of damage [due to] their misuse and the following misconception and confusion.[]We likewise require … words to explain how flexibility works its marvels. And what words will best explain and describe freedom’s opposite? How does one make it clear that accepting coercively confiscated “advantages” is just as wicked as the confiscation itself … real of countless … ignoble plans []
[]The specific rhetorical distortion Read was interested in “Loot” was the shift from thinking in regards to special privilege and plunder, with strongly unfavorable connotations, to simply considering in terms of advantages, which eliminates the unfavorable undertones by ignoring the violation of others’ rights involved.
[]The acceptance of plunder is as sinful as the plundering itself. But where are the words to portray the sinful nature of plunder?[]A number of us, over the years, have utilized the words “unique advantage” to explain flexibility’s opposite– the ransacking way of living. But these words no longer serve to explain the undesirable; they have actually lost their bad impact. So extensive is the practice of plunder that what were at one time developed as special grants of political power– and were basically plainly recognized as such– are now declared as the inalienable rights of the unique class spawned by such benefits. Among pigs at the trough, there is no stigma.
[]Read has a various term in mind to restore the earlier, more precise, understanding and the sensible unfavorable undertones of unique advantage and plunder.
[]Why not utilize another word that has an opportunity of clarifying our significance? Let’s try an acronym … Living Off Others Thoughtlessly– LOOT![]Robbery is an accurate synonym for ransacking and still brings a sharp spoken sting which the majority of us would rather prevent.
[]How does thinking in regards to government-enabled robbery enhance our society?
[]Many among us today are thoughtlessly living off the labor of others.[]Throughout history there have been looters of this or that range. However we seem now to be confronted with a progression of such harmful habits. As increasingly more individuals have actually deserted ethical scruples– feathering their nests at the expense of others– robbery in its numerous kinds has a growing number of end up being a lifestyle.
[]Emerson composed, “Idea is the seed of action.” Truthful, moral and sound economic thought results in good and innovative action; each person serves himself through serving others. But if deceitful, immoral and uneconomic thinking dominates, the results should be hazardous, not just to others but to self as well. Such thoughtlessness, then– instead of mindful idea– is the seed of actions which presently bedevil us. And the seeds, usually, are words with garbled significances … warped from bad to great.
[]It is significantly apparent that numerous millions in all walks of life thoughtlessly “live” off others; they loot and they don’t understand it. They are the unwitting victims of their own naivete, stumbling along the devolutionary roadway … with pride rather of regret.
[]Frederic Bastiat helps us to see through this disgraceful practice:
[]See if the law [federal government] takes from some individuals what comes from them, and provides it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expenditure of another by doing what the resident himself can refrain from doing without devoting a crime.
[]The key for Read was for individuals to recognize robbery for what it was, consisting of the types of government-enabled robbery they shared the profits of, in the practically limitless types in which it appeared.
[]Government would not draw from some and offer to others were the others to decline the loot. It follows then, that the receivers of ill-gotten gains are as wicked as the federal government which effects the transfer by force.[]Just the solidified expert crooks … would personally so indulge themselves. The vast bulk would avoid immoral action were it a you-and-me relationship. Honesty would prevail.
[]Nevertheless, when federal government does the coercive taking and distributing, the majority of people– those who do no thinking on their own– are relieved of any sense of delighting in crimes. Rather they experience an incorrect sense of absolution.
[]In compiling a list of looters, let us take care not to confine it simply to the “beneficiaries” … we should label all looting as such … We must include all instances where browbeating, be it private or public, is employed to “benefit” some at the cost of others. The list is too long to count.
[]Is there a community in the U.S.A. without … monoliths to robbery?
[]Plundering is so rampant that everyone is involved more or less– unconsciously taking part or caught beyond escape … What should we critics of looting do? What might the right tactic be?
[]Read concluded that we would gain if more individuals saw the light on looting.
[]Maybe another acronym may assist to clarify the innovative force: Residing in Excellent High Idea: LIGHT![]To see the LIGHT we require what I would call intellectual field glasses. We ought to see, not with just one, however with both eyes.
[]The large majority see with one eye just and, as an effect, observe merely surface area or false looks.
[]Fortunately, there are those who see with one eye the falseness of LOOT, and with the other observe the real LIGHT. To thus see underneath the surface area brings enlightenment– motivation … [since] growing numbers … are beginning to see the destructiveness of plunder and how freedom works its incredible wonders.
[]Americans today not only face federal government robbery that has metastasized over the years considering that Leonard Read composed these words, but efforts to supercharge the extent of political extraction to the tune of trillions more. That definitely justifies believing more clearly and urgently about it, because the reward to overcoming those even greater distortions is also greater. And Read’s nutshell description of what is involved– seeing the destructiveness of plunder and how liberty works its amazing marvels– provides excellent watchwords for the job.