Fundamentally, the command of God … is self-evidently and in all circumstances a call for counter-movements on behalf of humanity and against its denial in any form – and therefore a call for the championing of the weak against every kind of encroachment on the part of the strong. The Christian community has undoubtedly been too late in seeing this in face of the modern capitalistic development of the labour process, and it cannot escape some measure of responsibility for the injustice characteristic of this development…. The main task of Christianity in the West is … to assert the command of God in face of [capitalism], and to keep to the ‘left’ in opposition to its champions, i.e., to confess that it is fundamentally on the side of the victims of this disorder and to espouse their cause.”
—Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics III/4, p. 544 (KD III/4, pp. 624-25).
H/T Ben Myers
'Faithful Politics' podcast interview
3 days ago
4 comments:
I thought injustice and greed were due to sinners.
Demonising capitalism only leads to fascism (legislated Robin Hoodism), which is where we are heading. God expects generosity, not government sanctioned theft and Fanny Mae economics.
Have we forgotten the lessons of the 20th century so soon? They are still on display as a live exhibit in North Korea.
The problem is injustice, not the free market.
And don't think Barth was disagree with you. Particularly given that he is writing in response to fascism. He had first hand experience of the the troubles fascism caused - it drove him from his job, banished him from Germany, and killed many of his friends.
The free market may not be the problem, but an unjust free market is definitely part of the problem.
The problem is injustice, not the free market.
Do you really think the two can be so easily distinguished? Corrupt humans will exploit any system, and I thank God that we do not have a "free" market but that there are government regulations on all kinds of things to prevent companies ripping off the poor more than they do.
Demonising capitalism only leads to fascism. There are more than two options. To criticise one is not necessarily to support the other.
Byron
I agree with government regulation, but the free market is more of an equaliser than we give it credit for. The reason I posted is because that is not the direction we are heading in.
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