In my essay entitled “A Common Truth” I wrote about legislators and their responsibility to the citizens of this Nation. I wrote that in this responsibility is a part of a greater solution to the current conflicts which are hurting people …

Perhaps it is worthwhile to consider the source of one’s wealth as a means of judging the justness of it.

Agreed.

But the blame should be on the type of politics that allows such corruption, not on the wealth itself or the trade itself.

Which is what I expressed in the post…

“The final solution for this [injustice] at a socio-political level lies in legislature. If the lawmakers are immoral and unjust group will they produce and uphold laws of a moral high-ground? Yet isn’t it our moral responsibility to follow the law?” (ibn Abdullah).

By-the-way these are excellent comments, jazakallah kheir (Best wishes).

The US of the 19th century had a saying: “Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations”. The productiveness of the grandfather yielded riches, which it would take two generations to squander. Maybe that is less relevant now, if the grandchild can call his buddies in Washington to enforce monopolistic privileges. But the blame should be on the type of politics that allows such corruption, not on the wealth itself or the trade itself.

Remember, trade is a voluntary interaction between two parties, with each person gaining from the interaction. Everyone gains: What can be more moral or just than that?

Free trade in theory is fair and equitable! However what textbooks do not tell you is that “Everyone” is in fact a succession of families and individuals who in most cases were born into the wealth of parents… who then in turn repeat the cycle.

I am not opposed to the wealthy staying wealthy (that would be unintelligent). However, what I am implying is that the wealthy have a monopoly on health, education and socio-political influence. As a result what I am asking is that lawmakers do something to balance out the distribution of these constituents.

Note: keep in mind that this article was written with “Humanity” in mind in other words, a petition for Global Equity not just here in the US. We have made significant strides for an equitable society inside the US… and there are still miles to go, but the US is also part of a Global Community not just a few allies.

wasalaam.

For example, I don’t think it is ultimately the goal of humanity to form a fair and just society. Humanity as an abstract composite of selfish individuals isn’t going to have the noble aspiration of justice as a fundamental goal. Rather, the social, economic, and political problems you’ve pointed out are rooted in the corruption of man. For a Christian, this depravity of man would be seen to be intimately related to the universal rebellion of man against his Creator.

Actually, I was given the impression from this article that you assume the simplicity of the circumstances you struggle against. I think it’s too simple to assume that the West, meaning Europe and North America (mainly the United States), are at fault for all that has gone wrong in the world simply because of their relative material wealth. The world is complex rather than simple, and the problems are not really traceable to capitalism as such or to specific corrupt individuals, unless you actually identify all individuals. Institutions are mirrors of their constituents in a sense, as you’ve said, but they’re also embodiments of transcending ideals grounded in the divine. The dysfunction introduced by corrupt man affects all of his institutions and brings about the oppression of all, to be sure, but to be the victim of one man’s evil doesn’t render one innocent of his own corruption. Sin is a thoroughgoing corruption in that respect, as so many faiths recognize rightly.

I think it’s interesting that the word lawmaker is often used of a legislator because it’s actually a misnomer. As the classical world conceived it, legislation was not the origination of law, the making of law. To legislate was to convey to man that which flowed from transcendent authority to govern man. Note the relation between legislation and relation, translation, etc. So law in Western civilization has been known to be rooted in the substance, nature, and character of the divine. That contemporary legislators fail to recognize this is to their shame and to the oppression of us all.

Again, thanks for your comments. Feel free to stop by again to continue the conversation on that post or to join in the conversation on other posts.