Ever since Hugo Chavez, Venezuela’s communist president, made headlines in North America a few months ago, I have been thinking about communism versus capitalism. Chavez drew fire from Pat Robertson and others inside the United States because of his ardent stance against the U.S. and capitalism. Regardless of what you think about the Pat Robertson comments, Chavez has emerged on the global scene as a major promoter of Communist ideals in the Americas. And unlike Fidel Castro in Cuba, Chavez has lots of money coming into his country due to Venezuela's rich oil business.
In some ways, I have always liked some of the ideals behind communism and socialism. In theory, socialism sounds good. Who wouldn't want to live in a world where everyone gets treated fairly and the poor have a real say in what happens? Who wouldn't want to live in a society where people work together for the common good? But that picture seldom seems to be the real world result of socialism. People in power always seem to take advantage of their position for their own private gain. People lose freedoms without gaining the promised advantages offered by the state. Socialist leaders have used fear and intimidation to keep people in line. These societies and economies have tended to lag behind capitalistic markets driven by the need to compete.
On the other side of the coin, capitalism is not always good. It definitely has its drawbacks. The American media and some sects of Evangelical Christianity in the U.S. seem to always push the superiority of capitalism. But global capitalism leaves many behind in the race to success as the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. As multi-national corporations race for cheaper products and higher margins, local economies get gobbled up in a big monster that eliminates diversity and kills small businesses. Decisions are pushed out of the local level and into corporate boardrooms. These executives are loyal to shareholders, focusing on the next quarter more than long-term growth or economic stability.
Tom Sine in Mustard Seed Versus McWorld wrote, "McWorld is drawing in our lives so it can auction off everything in sight, and there is evidence that this is already changing our notion of what is important and of value." Personal relationships become less important as price becomes king. Globalization and the spread of the capitalist ideal are having some unforeseen impacts on the world that may catch many by surprise, including big corporations in the West.
Many third world countries can't even afford a seat at the table of tomorrow's technology revolution. Recently, as I attended a global meeting of industry leaders for the forest products industry, an economist at the conference basically said that Africa was pretty much a non-factor in the global marketplace. There you have a whole continent that is being left behind as local factions fight against each other.
I believe that capitalism and communism share the same root failure. Both systems are corrupted and kept from achieving a true utopia society because the natural inclination of man is to be selfish, prideful and opportunist. Sure, there will always be the occasional good Samaritan or the guy who makes a good decision some of the time. But people have an amazing ability to rationalize atrocities and make excuses for taking care of themselves at the expense of others. When it comes to the little decisions, too often people opt to take the shortcut. In capitalism, people work hard to get more for themselves and may give some of the bounty away. Leaving some behind is just considered part of the gig. Survival of the fittest seems to be the rule, and some losing out just seems to be a natural part of economic cycles. In communism, people in power take advantage of their position to fuel their own power base and fill their pockets. There always seems to be a case of the haves and have-nots. It doesn't matter which economic model you pick. Jesus said that you will always have the poor with you. Is it even realistic to aim for utopia here and now?
The real answer seems to have little to do with man, and everything to do with God. Mankind has been trying to find the ideal society for thousands of years. And yet we always seem to mess it up. At a time, when science is trying to declare that God does not exist, corporations are sacrificing all to the god of the next quarter, and countries are telling God to stay out of their public institutions, mankind appears to be on a collision course with disaster. In our own arrogance and pride, we refuse to see that the answer lies beyond the ability of man. God is the answer because He teaches men how to live and empowers us to live up to our potential. As we eliminate the need for God in the mind of popular culture, people are released to do what seems right to them. This usually means that someone somewhere suffers.
Today, the popular mantra seems to be do what seems right to you. Postmodern thought has given the next generation another excuse to live a self-focused live guided by personal morality. The erosion of the authority of God in our public institutions has created a dangerous situation where man could be left to his own devices. At the time where we need God the most, we seem to be looking to Him least.
No economic system or philosophical principle can truly change the wayward heart of fallen man. This can only happen as God changes us. If we are truly honest, we will even admit our own inability to change certain areas of our life no matter how hard we try. If we can't get this right without God, what makes us think we can create the perfect society without divine help? Man is still trying to create the Tower of Babel. Like the children of Israel, we want an earthly king and not God as our ruler.
I guess that I am advocating a theocracy as the only form of government that will usher in true peace and eternal property. But this will not happen as long as man tries to create it. A theocracy is not one particular religious group wielding power over the people. No, it only comes as Jesus Christ leads the people of God. It only comes as we live for the glory of God and not any humanistic ideal. Jesus Christ shows us how to live the kingdom life. Consider the Lord's Prayer as a roadmap to the perfect life. By its very design, it shows the need to rely on God to fulfill it. The answer to our global problems is not any "ism", instead it found in a person, and His name is Jesus. He shows the way to live for something greater than ourselves and how to touch the ideal in a fallen world.
Consider the following debate by Alan Keyes and Alan Dershowitz - Does Organized Religion Hold Answers to the Problems of the 21st Century?
http://www.renewamerica.us/archives/speeches/00_09_27debate.htm
