Libertarianism, Communism, and the State
John Stuart Mill and Karl Marx were relative in their progressive thought yet dissimilar in their outlook on political economy. Contemporary Libertarians follow the ideas of John Stuart Mill’s liberty narrative—believing that we are sovereigns over ourselves. Communists follow Karl Marx’s and Friedrich Engels’s equality narrative—that the state is illegitimate because it protects private property rights. Christians, on the other hand, are decreed to love the state—not tyranny. Paul scribes Christians’ obligation to love government in Romans 13:1, noting that all authority belongs to God. Christianity ultimately offers each citizen greater liberty and equal than Libertarianism and Marxism. Christian doctrine decrees that witnessing government oppression is a commission and divine call to action.
Libertarianism and Communism both believe in the deconstruction of the state; yet with vastly opposing methodologies. Libertarians seek to weaken the state. Communists seek to destroy it. Christians view the state as an instrument of God. Thus, these three conflicting ideologies are incompatible. Christian government is not Christendom, but the only ideology that acknowledges a pluralistic government. Libertarianism opposes a fortified government, whereas Communism convokes for its overthrow. Libertarians blame the infringement of liberties; Communists blame systemic inequalities. Christians blame the politician and the fallen nature of man. Government is necessary, and ordained by the Lord. Civic authority should be arranged in a way that supports God’s image; allowing citizens to love their government. Government should not be a weapon of man, but a reflection of Christ.
Romans 13:1—Libertarian and Communist theory is incompatible with Christianity in that God determines right and wrong—not man. The Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Roman government scribed that “[e]veryone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God,” (Romans 13:1; NLT).
Libertarianism is Incompatible with Christian Government
Libertarianism is incompatible with Paul’s epistle to the Roman government. Specifically, Romans 13:1 is likely to be misinterpreted by Libertarians and Communists, who strive to free oppressed man from governance. Libertarianism rejects government; choosing flight over fight. Libertarians believe in limited government, laissez-faire policies, and the personal authority to adjudicate morality. Adam Smith established a foundational precedence for Libertarianism; but “Mill attempted to correct Adam Smith’s political theory,” (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 285). Mill called for the “greatest amount of human liberty and spontaneity,” (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 302). Mill’s distortion of liberty addressed social concerns, restating a revised concept of natural liberty, (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 285). Mill wrote of man, the essentiality of “his independence is, of right, absolute. Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign,” (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 348). Liberty was a central focus of Mill’s writings. Both “Mill and Marx were aware that the content and method of political economy were under close scrutiny,” (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 285). Adaptively, Romans 13:1 is compatible with Mill’s definition of private property as “the guarantee to individuals of the fruits of their own labor and abstinence,” (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 302).
John Stuart Mill focused his argument on social liberty, rather than the liberty of the will.
Mill, rather than conserving traditional values; sought to progress eternal truth beyond the Biblical doctrine. Mill believed that “the achievement of progress presupposes order,” (Strauss & Cropsey, p. 791). John Stuart Mill “declared thast the teaching of Jesus contained the perfection of the utilitarian doctrine,” (Ryan, A., p. 20). Mill “revise[d] the theory of Bentham in the course of his attempt to answer specific objections to earlier versions of utilitarianism,” (Strauss & Cropsey, p. 789). Mill recognized that “[t]he struggle between Liberty and Authority is the most conspicuous feature in the portions of history,” (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 345). Mill grieved how the traits of “self-government,” and “the power of the people over themselves,” no longer bore relevance to their original meaning. Libertarians following Mill’s perspective hold a view inconsistent with Christian government. Mill was educated on politics and the concept of Utilitarianism by his father James Mill and his godfather Jeremy Bentham. Jeremy Bentham popularized Utilitarianism. Nicholas Capaldi writes that “Bentham and James Mill are probably best known for moving the study of economics away from Locke’s natural right and Smith’s natural history Scottish enlightenment principles,” (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 286). John Stuart Mill’s consideration of political thought that focused on the sovereignty of man. Mill asserted that “[t]he ‘people’ who exercise the power are not always the same people with those over whom it is exercised; and the ‘self-government’ spoken of is not the government of each by himself, but of each by all the rest,” (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 346).
Mill contended that “[l]iberty, as a principle, has no application to any state of things anterior to the time when mankind have become capable of being improved by free and equal discussion,” (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 349). For Mill, “the individual is prior to the state…society should provide the conditions in which each man can develop his special talents and make them available to the community,” (Strauss & Cropsey, p. 790). Henry Magid wrote of Mill’s liberty that “[i]t follows that the government which encourages active participation in its operation by all citizens is better, in spite of the problems that may arise as a consequence, (Strauss & Cropsey, p. 790). Mill’s pursuit of liberty gave provision to his notion of Communism. Mill wrote that the guarantee of labor without merit “does not promote, but conflicts with, the ends which render private property legitimate,” (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 302).
Communism is Incompatible With Christian Government
Communism is incompatible with Paul’s epistle to the Roman government. Specifically, Romans 13:1 is in direct opposition to Communist ideology. Communism rejects government; choosing fight over flight. Communists believe in reconstructing an omnipotent government by collective authority to adjudicate equality. Marx’s distortion of equality rejects the New Testament’s authority. Marx believed in organizing class rebellion against the bourgeoisie, or middle-class property owners. This is incompatible with Romans 13:1, as Communism seeks to disrupt rather than sanctify government. Marx instead wrote of a spectre of Communism, describing the ideology’s haunting and invasive influence over society. Marx’s words depict the attitudes of many contemporary Communists who wish to destroy America’s history. Marx wrote that “[i]n bourgeois society, therefore, the past dominates the present; in communist society, the present dominates the past,” (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 398). Marx denounced “abstract method[s] of political economy,” and abstract utopian alternatives, (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 285). Marx’s own theories were utopian. Marx believed property was theft; writing that The French Revolution, for example, abolished feudal property in favor of bourgeois property, (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 397).
Marx contrasted the Apostle Paul, believing that “[t]he utility of a thing makes it a use value,” (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 409). Marx added that utility is “limited by the physical properties of the commodity,” in that “it has no existence apart from that commodity, (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 409). Marx defined value in materialism as “[a] commodity, such as iron, corn, or a diamond, is therefore, so far as it is a material thing, a use value, something useful,” (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 409). In contrast to Romans 13:1, Marx wrote of “Free Trade;” that “[i]n one word, for exploitation, veiled by religious and political illusions, it has substituted naked, shameless, direct, brutal exploitation,” (Capaldi & Lloyd, pp. 390, 391). Marx opined of John Stuart Mill that he “reproduces, with his usual pomposity, the doctrine handed down by Adam Smith to his followers. As a result, the Smithian confusion of thought persists to this hour, and his dogma is one of the orthodox articles of faith of political economy,” (Marx, K., p. 2671).
On Christianity Marx asked, “[h]as not Christianity declaimed against private property, against marriage, against the state?” (Capaldi & Lloyd, p. 404). Marx evidently wrongfully understood the purpose of Christian doctrine, and its self-regulating influence on the individual.
Paul’s Epistle to the Roman Church in Context
The Apostle Paul’s first verse of Romans Chapter 13 is unjustly broad without the proceeding five verses. Paul gives us further context, bringing more continuity to this objective principle. Romans’ second verse continues “[s]o anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished,” (Romans 13:2; NLT). Mill and Marx would have rejected Paul’s second verse, dismissing it as a further mechanism of control. Libertarians and Communists attempt to replace their own sovereignty with God. Libertarians and Communists decry instituted authority as tyrannic; yet this doctrine adhere to the assurance of fundamental liberty. Paul’s third verse of Romans is the most contentious for Libertarians and Communists. Paul’s verse taken alone, appears to allude to an oppressive state. But Paul presupposed Biblical doctrine as the fundamental principle of government. Paul’s third verse reads “[f]or the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you,” (Romans 13:3; NLT). Paul’s fourth verse of Romans’ Chapter 13 reminds man that he is not to decide for himself what is considered right and wrong. These are to be sourced from eternal truth. The fourth verse reads, “[t]he authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong,” (Romans 13:4; NLT).
Paul reiterates that government is an instrument of God, in his fifth verse scribing “[s]o you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience,” (Romans 13:5; NLT). Libertarians and Communists follow a doctrine incompatible with an obedience to a government under the authority of God. Paul’s sixth verse in Romans is a striking contrast to John Stuart Mill’s and Karl Marx’s doctrines. It reads, “[p]ay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do,” (Romans 13:6; NLT). Paul’s sixth verse in Chapter 13 of Romans is correlative to Adam Smith’s view on representative taxation. Smith wrote that “[t]he tax which each individual is bound to pay ought to be certain, and not arbitrary,” (Haggarty, J., p. 144). Libertarians and Communists in their absolute forms are incompatible with Christian government.
Conclusion
Man must abandon all ideology to free himself from the secular simulation that confines him. Libertarian and Communist ideologies lack a fundamental belief in God—yet claim similar grievances against tyranny. Libertarians and Communists mustn’t consider Romans without reading Acts. Jesus’s disciple Peter and the Apostles replied, a uniting principle of civic resistance. Peter states that “[w]e must obey God rather than any human authority,” (Acts 5:29; NLT). Christians are decreed to stand in civic anarchy to tyranny. To be Christian is to be far more radically opposed to human oppression than any conceivable ideology. A Christian government built on the foundation of Christ is resilient to persistent storms (Mat 7:25). As Jesus converted Simon to Peter he declared “and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 16:18-19; NLT). Readers must also note the prophet Isaiah’s dissent against despotism. Isaiah scribed “[w]oe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,” (Isaiah 10:1-2a; NIV). It remains a Christian obligation to ensure policymakers do not issue oppressive laws, or punish unjustly.
Man’s ascription to non-Christian ideology progresses him exterior to conventional morality. Man needs a personal relationship with God and cultivate Biblical values to observe government as an instrument of the Lord. But Paul clearly displays the need for government to ensure a moral basis for society. To love government is to love God and have faith for the magnitude of His control. God’s ability to grant discernment and provision, ensures policymakers will maintain the appropriate course for posterity. Observing the darkness of government empowers the demonic spirits within. God’s power is far greater than any Leviathan. Libertarians and Communists can rest assured that there exists a Supernatural force that built the universe at work on Earth. God guides us, and utilizes government as an instrument to anoint the nation. He shelters those lost in pluralism until they can find their way back to Him. Christ is always with us, no matter Libertarian or Communist. Government, beyond ideology must be utilized as a tool of morality.
Bibliography
Strauss, L.; Cropsey, J. (1963, 1972, 1987). History of Political Philosophy. The University of Chicago Press. Kindle Edition.
Capaldi, N.; Lloyd, G., (2011). The Two Narratives of Political Economy. Wiley. Kindle Edition.
Haggarty, John. (1976). The Wisdom of Adam Smith. Liberty Fund Inc.
NLT. Acts 5:29
NLT. Romans 13:1
Marx, K.; Engels, F. (2016). Collected Works of Karl Marx. (Illustrated). (Delphi Series Seven Book 23) (p. 2671). Delphi Classics. Kindle Edition.
Ryan, A., (1987). John Stuart Mill and Jeremy Bentham: Utilitarianism and Other Essays. Edited by Alan Ryan. Penguin Publishing: New York, New York.