Today was a hard day at work, so I’ll probably keep it brief on this post. However, I do want to thank those of you that are reading these essays and interacting. Even if readers do not agree with my beliefs, values, and observations, it’s still good to know someone is reading.
I wish to extend from the last post about wealth and status. I pointed out the observations I made about the views of folks concerning those with little wealth. I need to also examine my thinking about those with great wealth.
First, my faith is not anti-wealth. Gaining wealth is biblical and there are plenty of examples of folks that were and are blessed by God with great wealth. However, the scriptures are very clear that wealth is a distraction or an impediment to following God. There are warnings across scripture on those that handle wealth poorly, especially by treating others badly. It is important for one to recognize that wealth is from God, not just from personal effort. This is the same as a farmer must view that the bounty of the land has more to do with God’s blessing than with hard work.
What I have observed over the past three decades is that the concentration of wealth is being placed in fewer and fewer hands. CEO’s of many companies now earn many times more than the average employee of the companies they lead. Even CEO’s that fail at leading a company into prosperity often leave a bankrupted company with significant wealth.
In addition, we are learning of many ways in which large corporations seek tax cuts, property tax abatement, and have armies of accountants and lawyers to reduce tax liabilities to near zero. They do this under the umbrella of ‘job creation’. Look Mr. Mayor. We’ll be bringing thousands of jobs to your city. Give us thirty years property taxes for free and you’ll make it up on all the people we bring in. But, does it? Who is minding the store?
Please understand that I have no problem with paying my taxes, as long as everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE else is doing the same. I’m not against tax cuts for those that can create jobs. I’m not against tax abatement to sweeten the pot getting a new large business to move to town. However, I am against companies and businesses effectively reducing their tax payments to minimal percentages of their total income thereby placing the burden on folks that earn a great deal less. That’s not logical as a sustainable plan for the future, nor is it fair to the taxpayers as a whole.
But, then there is pragmatism. One the one hand, yes, it would be wrong to force corporations and businesses to be more responsible taxpayers. Taking the advantages that we’ve allowed them isn’t illegal, just distasteful. Yet, we’ve already seen this type of situation before. Go and read of the Gilded Age of the turn of the 20th century. The kinds of squalor that many lived in versus the opulence of the wealthy was stark. That situation did lead to a rise in populism and eventually forcing the breakup of many monopolies.
So, where does that leave us? I think the two best things we can hope for in bringing some common sense back to wealth is a mixture of good examples and at least some threat of negative legislation against the large corporations. Sounds harsh, doesn’t it.
Believe it or not, I liken the problem to that of the Mafia. You know them. The criminals and crooks of the prohibition era and many still operating today. We see them as petty thieves, thugs, and often murderers. Yet, if you ask the Mafiosos how they see themselves, they’ll say they are just businessmen and you do whatever it takes to be successful in business.
I see a lot of those same similarities in businesses gaining wealth today. They simply believe that doing whatever it takes to gain a profit is alright and they shouldn’t be fettered by anything like morals, ethics, or plain old generosity. I don’t think that is the answer I’d like to give Jesus when He asks. I better watch my P’s and Q’s as well.
Great post 🙂