Hayek Views On Social Justice
Renowned economist Friedrich Hayek once said “I have come to feel strongly that the greatest service I can still render my fellow man would be that I could make speakers and writers among them thoroughly ashamed ever again to employ the term ‘Social Justice.’”
What was it he saw in such a seemingly positive term, social justice? Hayek, an Austrian economist, philosopher, and to a large degree, modern symbol of classical liberalism, understood what many of us have chosen to forget. Hayek understood in order for what we call ‘social justice’ to be achieved, freedom must necessarily be sacrificed at the altar of government. In short, a redistribution of wealth that occurs through force, and one that never ends as it is a beast with an insatiable …show more content…
In order to understand Hayek’s view we first need to understand social justice, which in many cases is nearly impossible to understand. What you call social justice your neighbor may not; in fact, if you place a hundred people in a room you are likely to get nearly as many answers. This begs the question, how can we achieve something we cannot agreeably define, and how much force is necessary to achieve its success?
The first problem with the term “Social Justice” is it means too many things for too many people, issues surrounding race, women’s rights, universal healthcare, a right to income, jobs, housing, food, on and on. And by “right” we must understand that in the context of social justice, this right comes from government, it must be provided for by government and government must rectify any wrongs. What is government; by nature it is and is only force. There is nothing above or below, there is nothing else on either side, it is force and force …show more content…
How are they being compassionate? Compassion by means of social justice is taking from others what does not belong to them and giving it to someone else. In short, the government takes from those it finds undeserving, regardless of it being earned, and places it in the hands of another, which is a position that is and can never be earned. Many will clamor this is OK if they believe they fall into a victimized class, but this must be met with a strong
What was it he saw in such a seemingly positive term, social justice? Hayek, an Austrian economist, philosopher, and to a large degree, modern symbol of classical liberalism, understood what many of us have chosen to forget. Hayek understood in order for what we call ‘social justice’ to be achieved, freedom must necessarily be sacrificed at the altar of government. In short, a redistribution of wealth that occurs through force, and one that never ends as it is a beast with an insatiable …show more content…
In order to understand Hayek’s view we first need to understand social justice, which in many cases is nearly impossible to understand. What you call social justice your neighbor may not; in fact, if you place a hundred people in a room you are likely to get nearly as many answers. This begs the question, how can we achieve something we cannot agreeably define, and how much force is necessary to achieve its success?
The first problem with the term “Social Justice” is it means too many things for too many people, issues surrounding race, women’s rights, universal healthcare, a right to income, jobs, housing, food, on and on. And by “right” we must understand that in the context of social justice, this right comes from government, it must be provided for by government and government must rectify any wrongs. What is government; by nature it is and is only force. There is nothing above or below, there is nothing else on either side, it is force and force …show more content…
How are they being compassionate? Compassion by means of social justice is taking from others what does not belong to them and giving it to someone else. In short, the government takes from those it finds undeserving, regardless of it being earned, and places it in the hands of another, which is a position that is and can never be earned. Many will clamor this is OK if they believe they fall into a victimized class, but this must be met with a strong