Many students of both Scripture and political theory will remember a very famous maxim that was commonly heard in the twentieth century:
From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs. This was a slogan popularized by Karl Marx (birth name Herschel Mordechai) in his 1875 Critique of the Gotha Program. The principle refers to free access and distribution of goods, capital and services. In the Marxist view, such an arrangement will be made possible by the abundance of goods and services that a developed communist system will produce; the idea is that, with the full development of socialism and unfettered productive forces, there will be enough to satisfy everyone's needs.
However, wherever Marxism was practiced, the unfettered productive forces never emerged, notwithstanding the argument that it works in theory, just not in practice.
If it doesn’t work in practice, it doesn’t work in theory. Murray Rothbard
Socialism is a sacred cause for realizing the demand and desire of the masses of the people for independence; it is a revolutionary cause that advances amid a fierce struggle against imperialism and all other counterrevolutionary forces. Kim Jung-un
The political and military position of socialism should be further cemented so that it can be an impregnable fortress. Kim Jung-un
The goal of socialism is communism. – Vladimir Lenin (Ulyanov)
Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery – Winston Churchill
The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples' money. Margaret Thatcher.
Socialism violates at least three of the Ten Commandments: It turns government into God, it legalizes thievery and it elevates covetousness. Discussions of income inequality, after all, aren't about prosperity but about petty spite. Why should you care how much money I make, so long as you are happy? Ben Shapiro
The essential characteristic of socialism is the denial of individual property rights; under socialism, the right to property (which is the right of use and disposal) is vested in “society as a whole,” i.e., in the collective, with production and distribution controlled by the state, i.e., by the government.
Socialism may be established by force, as in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics—or by vote, as in Nazi (National Socialist) Germany. The degree of socialization may be total, as in Russia—or partial, as in England. Theoretically, the differences are superficial; practically, they are only a matter of time. The basic principle, in all cases, is the same.
The alleged goals of socialism were: the abolition of poverty, the achievement of general prosperity, progress, peace and human brotherhood. The results have been a terrifying failure—terrifying, that is, if one’s motive is men’s welfare.
Instead of prosperity, socialism has brought economic paralysis and/or collapse to every country that tried it. The degree of socialization has been the degree of disaster. The consequences have varied accordingly. Ayn Rand
However, from whence do these notions arise?
Ma’asiym (Acts) 2:44-45
And all that believed were together and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
Ma’asiym (Acts) 4:34-35
Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
Ma’asiym (Acts) 11:29-30
Then the Talmidiym, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Yahud: 30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Bar-Naviy and Sha’ul.
Compare with Stalinism:
Stalinism is the means of governing and related policies implemented from the 1920s to 1953 by Joseph Stalin. Stalinist policies and ideas as developed in the Soviet Union included rapid industrialization, the theory of socialism in one country, a totalitarian state, collectivization of agriculture, a cult of personality and subordination of the interests of foreign communist parties to those of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, deemed by Stalinism to be the leading vanguard party of communist revolution at the time.
In North Korea, however, the state ideology is called Juche (pronounced Dzu). Under this national ethic, three principals required to establish Socialism:
- Jaju (Dzadzu) ("independence")
- Jarip (Dzar-ip) ("national economy") and
- Jawi (Dza-wi) ("self-defense")
In the United States, these ideals were sometimes referred to as “rugged individualism,” and were commonly practiced by the pioneers. Yet, is this the best set of ethics for the believer?
Yahuchanon (John) 14:6
YAHUSHA said unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.
Tehilliym (Psalm) 119:1-3
BLESSED are the undefiled in the Way, who walk in the Torah of YAHUAH. 2 Blessed are they that guard his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. 3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.
Compare with Ten Commandments:
Shemoth (Exodus) 34:27-28
And YAHUAH said unto Mosheh, Write את eth-these words: for after the tenor of these words I have cut a covenant with you and את eth-with Yashar’el. 28 And he was there with YAHUAH forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the sapphires את eth the words of the covenant, the Ten Devariym.
It is in these words of the covenant that we find proscriptions and prohibitions, but in their antithesis, we find the foundation of all human rights.
Devariym (Deuteronomy) 5:1-22
AND Mosheh called all Yashar’el, and said unto them, Hear, O Yashar’el, את eth-the commandments (choqqiym) and את eth-the judgments (m’shofetiym) which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, guard them, and do them.
2 YAHUAH ELOHAYNU cut a covenant (brit) with us in Chorev. 3 YAHUAH cut not את eth-this covenant with our fathers, but את eth-with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. 4 YAHUAH talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire, 5 (I stood between YAHUAH and you at that time, to show you את eth-the Word of YAHUAH: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying,
6 I am YAHUAH ELOHAYKA, a) which brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim, b) from the house of bondage.
7 You shall have no other elohiym before me.
FIRST HUMAN RIGHT: The right to hold YAHUAH as supreme to all others; the right to be free from false worship of other self-appointed or nefariously appointed “gods”.
8 You shall not make you any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: 9 You shall not bow down yourself unto them, nor serve them: for I YAHUAH ELOHAYKA am a jealous EL, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, 10 And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and guard my commandments.
SECOND HUMAN RIGHT: The right to be free from bowing down to or serving graven images.
11 You shall not take את eth-the name of YAHUAH ELOHAYKA in vain (shav - make useless or evil): את eth for YAHUAH will not hold him guiltless that takes את eth-his name in vain.
THIRD HUMAN RIGHT: The right to declare the name [Tehilliym 22:22; Yahuchanon 17:26]; to publish the name [Devariym 32:3; Yirmeyahu 31:7]; to hold the name as exalted;
12 Guard את eth-the day of the Shabbath; to sanctify it as YAHUAH ELOHAYKA has commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labour and do all your work: 14 But the seventh day is the Shabbath of YAHUAH ELOHAYKA: in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your ox, nor your ass, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger that is within your gates; that your manservant and your maidservant may rest as well as you. 15 And remember that you were a servant in the land of Mitsrayim, and that YAHUAH ELOHAYKA brought you out there through a mighty hand and by a stretched-out arm: therefore, YAHUAH ELOHAYKA commanded you to keep את eth-the day of Shabbath.
FOURTH HUMAN RIGHT: The right to keep the seventh day holy and to rest.
16 Honour את eth-your father and את eth-your mother, as YAHUAH ELOHAYKA has commanded you; that your days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with you, in the land which YAHUAH ELOHAYKA gives you.
FIFTH HUMAN RIGHT: The right to a mother and a father, and the right to honor them.
17 You shall not kill.
SIXTH HUMAN RIGHT: The right to life.
18 Neither shall you break wedlock.
SEVENTH HUMAN RIGHT: The right to be wed; the right to sanctity in wedlock.
19 Neither shall you steal.
EIGHTH HUMAN RIGHT: The right to property (your house; your field; your spouse; your servants; your animals; and everything else that belongs to you).
20 Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbour.
NINTH HUMAN RIGHT: The right to a correct reputation – to be free from defamation and perjury.
21 Neither shall you lust after your neighbour's woman, neither shall you lust after your neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbour's.
TENTH HUMAN RIGHT: To be free from the covetousness of your neighbor.
22 את eth-These words YAHUAH spoke unto all your assembly in the Mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more.
However, there is more than meets the eye in North Korea:
North Korea’s first Supreme Leader - Kim Il-sung, also in the aftermath of the Cold War ending, sent his most favored grandson Kim Jong-un to Switzerland to be educated in the Liebefeld-Steinholzi School—with this school’s main patron being the Lausanne Movement whose founder was the globally revered American evangelical Christian Reverend Billy Graham—and whose wife, Ruth Graham, was close to Supreme Leader Kim Il-sung since her school days in Pyongyang (the capital of North Korea) during the 1930’s where she was educated by Kim Il-sung’s Presbyterian church grandfather.
Is there a basis for capitalism in Scripture?
Yoceph practiced capitalism in its pure form:
He amassed capital (in this instance, grain and food).
He traded the food to acquire real estate and control
The wealth was amassed and later acquired by the house of Yashar’el.
Hiram of Tyre (Tsor) was also engaged in capitalism and trade.
He contracted to construct the materials for Shalomah’s palace/temple
He delivered for a price – and suffered a reduction for the poor contract
The US was quasi-capitalist before the Civil War – markets were unregulated, because they were new and were in pioneer territories. There was a true currency in gold and silver coin. The government was incapable of using fiat currency manipulation to create economies of scale.
However, the financial system in the US in the modern world is best described as Corporatism; Consumerism; and Debt-based Materialism. It is a mixed market of socialism and statism, with an ever-decreasing amount of capitalist opportunities.
Old Model: Save money; get a small business loan; work 24/7/365; after three years, earn your old wages before you quit and started your own business.
New Model: Connect with the Deep State; join in terrorist funding/training; work off shore bank accounts to launder money for sex traffickers-drug traffickers – human traffickers- gun runners; or receive tax dollars to provide a surveillance technology to the CIA/NSA/run up a fixed IPO and become a billionaire
NOTE: Those who can’t do this are deemed TOO SMALL TO SUCCEED.
The financial system in the former communist systems are now best understood as State capitalism/trickle down residual socialism.
All financial systems in the world are dominated by the central bank/fiat currency system – with the exception of Russia, Iran, and North Korea. North Korea now falls:
The lure: High speed rail; City development; Russian natural gas pipeline; Auto Factories; material accumulation similar to South Korea.
The hook: International Monetary Fund dominance – the creation of debt and the enslavement of the social order to usury. Joining the SWIFT system: The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications. Used to securely transmit information and instructions through a standardized system of codes.
The Asian alternative is the China International Payment System, the CIPS network is meant to facilitate cross-border transactions specifically in yuan.
The Belt and Road Initiative (One Belt, One Road): South Korea is already a member; North Korea is not.
People's Republic of China in the meantime is competing with the system by introducing alternatives:
Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
BRICS
New Development Bank
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a development strategy proposed by the Chinese government that focuses on connectivity and cooperation between Eurasian countries, primarily the People's Republic of China (PRC), the land-based Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) and the ocean-going Maritime Silk Road (MSR).
The Chinese government calls the initiative "a bid to enhance regional connectivity and embrace a brighter future", while critics call it a push by China to take a larger role in global affairs with a China-centered trading network.
For the student of Scripture, the question of usury is always important. Should a person borrow at interest? Should a person loan at interest? What does Scripture say?
Mishlei (Proverbs) 22:7
The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Shemoth (Exodus) 22:25
If you lend money to את eth-any of my people את eth-that is poor by you, you shall not be to him as an usurer, neither shall you lay upon him usury.
Vayiqra (Leviticus) 25:35-38
And if your brother be waxen poor and fallen in decay with you; then you shall relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with you. 36 Take no usury of him, or increase: but fear your ELOHIYM; that your brother may live with you. 37 You shall not give him את eth-your money upon usury, nor lend him your victuals for increase. 38 I am YAHUAH ELOHAYKEM, which brought you forth out of the land of Mitsrayim, to give you את eth-the land of Kena`an.
And who is your brother?
Luqas (Luke) 10:33-37
But a certain Shomeroniy, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever you spend more, when I come again, I will repay you. 36 Which now of these three, do you think, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37 And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said YAHUSHA unto him, Go, and do likewise.