Jim Huntzinger | On February 17, 2021

1917 Russia Revolution – Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the Bolshevik Party, addresses a crowd of revolting soldiers, sailors, and workers in Petrograd.

Under a collective system, everyone degrades to a lower level whether they want to or not.  Apathy, laziness, fear, and dependence become the norm, making central planning and totalitarian measures even more successful; thus the end of poverty, but the state of destitution also becomes the end – the lowest common denominator is achieved  (See How Collectivism Destroys Everyone). This highlights Reverend William J. H. Boetcker’s wisdom that:

• You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
• You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
• You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
• You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
• You cannot lift the wage-earner by pulling down the wage-payer.
• You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
• You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
• You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money.
• You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man’s initiative and independence.
• You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.[1]

Envy of the “haves” is generated and fed through propaganda and rhetoric. The idea of “have-nots” having less because the “haves” have more is permeated throughout society to the point where it is believed and accepted.   This is a zero-sum worldview and is entirely untrue – an outright lie. Austrian economist Friedrich Hayek illustrates the poison of this illusion,

It seems to be almost a law of human nature that it is easier for people to agree on a negative program – on the hatred of an enemy, on the envy of those better off – than on any positive task. The contrast between the “we” and the “they,” the common fight against those outside the group, seems to be an essential ingredient in any creed which will solidly knit together a group for common action.[2]

The sinful and destructive rhetoric of progressive collectivists creates envy and division between citizens. Their purpose is to gather power, and the result garners a degradation of the American society. Progressive collectivists thrive on envy and their power is built on envy.

The act of jealousy is sinful, and the root of Hayek’s comment above. “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”[3]

A society constructed by progressive collectivists becomes “evil” in practice. The epistle of James further notes, as if directly referring to political collectivists, “but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”[4] The result is the death of a prosperous and abundant society, which history and scripture have proven over and over again.

Originally published on Townhall Finance.

Jim Huntzinger

Jim Huntzinger began his career as a manufacturing engineer with Aisin Seiki (a Toyota Group company and manufacturer of automotive components) when they transplanted to North America to support Toyota. Over his career he has also researched at length the evolution of manufacturing in the United States with an emphasis on lean’s influence and development. In addition to his research on TWI, he has extensively researched the history of Ford’s Highland Park plant and its direct tie to Toyota’s business model and methods of operation.

Huntzinger is the President and Founder of Lean Frontiers and a graduate from Purdue University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology and received a M.S. in Engineering Management from the Milwaukee School of Engineering. He authored the book, Lean Cost Management: Accounting for Lean by Establishing Flow, was a contributing author to Lean Accounting: Best Practices for Sustainable Integration.