The Problem with Statism
The problem with statism is that it envisions a role for the state that causes the state to subsume the proper functions of other God ordained spheres of society. In its most egregious form -- totalitarianism -- the state becomes the central arbiter of meaning and identity in a society. (Both Fascism and Communism do this.) In lesser forms such as progressive liberalism and the social democratic models of Europe, the state is seen as the means to achieve many ends that should carried out by other institutions -- such as family and church.
The answer is Catholic Social Teaching.
2 comments:
That was me deleting. My first comment sounded rather harsher than I meant it to...
What I wanted to say was that you are correct that most social programs are more properly the purview of the Church rather than the State, but that we as a society have become so conditioned to the State dealing with those things (albeit with typical gov't efficiency--yeah, I know, an oxymoron), that the Church has sat back a bit and let the State pick up the slack. It's a self-perpetuating syndrome unless we take steps to realign the priorities...
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