Societies are like buildings in that both are constructed on basic materials, and the nature of those materials determine the usefulness of the results. So it is imperative that we understand the nature of society’s building blocks–people–to some extent if we are to make arguments about “What is best for society.” Being a trained mathematician, I see the starting point for any such discussion to be the “Axioms.” An Axiom is a statement that is so universally accepted as true that it needs no proof. We all took geometry mid-way through our basic schooling, where we heard the axiom, “The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.” Almost no one will disagree with that (except a Riemmanian geometrist, but that’s is different subject). The point is that every endeavor must have a starting point, a set of assumptions. I give a brief justification for my axioms below, but don’t try to argue about someone’s axioms. Just recognize that If you don’t agree with the axioms given, then you won’t agree with the analysis that derives from them.
Everyone Is Created Equal
It’s more than a trite statement captured from the American Declaration of Independence. It’s a philosophical statement of truth: No one is born to rule over other people, and no one acquires such power merely by virtual of being “elected.” Whether you are a bartender from Queens, or a drug-adled child of a well-placed politician, or the richest entrepreneur in the world, you are not entitled to special treatment before the law or more control over society than a trucker from Dubuque or a window cleaner from Detroit. The proper role of government employees and elected officials is to assist citizens in self-organization and protection, not to tell us what to do. American colonists knew that; we all know it instinctively.
People Know What They Are Doing
At first blush, this seems to be a controversial statement. Almost everyone thinks that other people are ignorant or crazy because of the things those other people say and do. I say that ain’t so. First, no one thinks of themselves as being the ignorant, crazy one. Next look around you at all the regular people you encounter: Your friends, family (mostly), business colleagues, neighbors, even the people you disagree with. Then celebrities and politicians: they all have a measure of success that belies the ignorance-insanity moniker. I’m not saying we all make great decisions all the time or have perfect knowledge, quite the opposite. I’m just saying that we all totally realize that we have imperfect knowledge and that our decisions reflect that fact, but we make decisions and take actions anyway, sometimes despite what we know, or should know, to be true. If the words and deeds of all those “other people” don’t comport with your expectations, it’s not because they are stupid or insane. They might just be too lazy to become better informed–that is they are willfully ignorant, which is different from actual ignorance. Or maybe they really do have evil motives. I’m standing by my belief in this axiom.
Free People Produce A More Successful Society
A society of free people admits that no one has a lock on the “best ideas.” Such a society allows the free exercise of as many ideas as possible, and the ones that produce the best outcomes will become the most adopted. It’s tautalogical that a controlled society can produce only a subset of the results of a free society and therefore will be less successful. Of course not everyone will agree with this axiom either, especially those who think everyone else is ignorant or crazy. Some of you think you know better than anyone what is right and good, so everyone else needs to be controlled (by you, of course), and no one deserves freedom except you and people who think like you. Think about the logical conclusion of that line of reasoning for a moment. Then consider nature apart from humans. Nature enjoys complete freedom and is quite successful on its own. In fact, some would say that human “management” of nature is what spoils it. So I say this axiom is universally known to be true, even to those who want to deny it.
Self Reliance Works Better Than Dependence
A very analytical reader may argue that this “axiom” is actually a corollary of the two previous axioms. If you didn’t consider that possibility, let me present the possible “argument”: Truly free people who know what they are doing will naturally gravitate towards self-reliance, because dependence leads to lack of freedom, which they know produces a less successful society. BUT…History reminds us that there is much more at play in the actual human spirit than the first two axioms admit. Some people simply enjoy being dependent, and others enjoy dominating as many people as they can. Society often organizes itself to create and maintain dominant-dependent roles. That is not inherently”bad,” but this axiom states that it is inherently suboptimal. I say we all realize instinctively that self-reliant people are more productive members of society…and they are happier for it as well.