Trends in economics and politics have driven many people who favor freedom into a despairing outlook. How could this country so casually throw away the liberty that has created so much wealth and been the source of so much human ingenuity and creativity, the liberty that has also been the foundation for the flourishing of religious faith here as few other places in the world?
The blessing of freedom comes our way, and we take the blessing but forget the source. We study history but do not learn from it, and therefore we try political approaches that have failed and failed again.
A good example here is the way the central bank is trying to use monetary depreciation to give the economy a jolt. This has been tried from the ancient to the modern world, and the tactic fails every time. You cannot create wealth by printing money. The attempt leads to economic disaster. This seems like something everyone should understand, and yet our leaders keep trying it again and again.
It's the same with socialized medicine, centralized state education, trade protectionism, high taxation, and a host of other nostrums. They are failed policies that keep returning due to the human condition of fallibility and hubris. We keep looking for the government to provide magic solutions that only hard work, faith, and freedom can provide.
But for those who despair, I would urge a counsel of looking at longer term trends. The world has opened up to communication, trade, and travel as never before. This means that more people than ever before can contribute to the building of civilization. We've never had more opportunities to evangelize our world for truth and freedom. This is a glorious opportunity.
I see the evidence every year at the Acton University and even every day as I look through who is using the materials produced by the Acton Institute. Our message is covering the world today, a dream come true, and made possible only by generous help from you.
