Blue-State Creationism
5 December 2004
Editor, The New York Times
229 W. 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036-3959
To the Editor:
Many more red-staters than blue-staters believe the Biblical account of creation. But blue-staters embrace their own version of creationism. For example, yesterday Robert Rubin and Michael Rubinger alleged in your pages that fairness in lending is a creation of government (“Don’t Let Banks Turn Their Backs on the Poor,” Dec. 4), and today Thomas Friedman argues that scientific advance is created chiefly through government funding (“Fly Me To The Moon,” Dec. 5). Other reflections of this creationist dogma include the belief that higher wages for low-skilled workers and financial security for retirees exist only if created by government.
The truly scientific view rejects creationism and recognizes that our prosperity – indeed, our very civilization – is largely the unintended and evolved product of each of us pursuing our own goals within a framework of private property rights, free markets, and the rule of law. Adam Smith called it “the invisible hand.” Those who deny its operation in society are just as unenlightened as are those who deny the operation of natural selection in the physical world.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
George Mason University
Editor, The New York Times
229 W. 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036-3959
To the Editor:
Many more red-staters than blue-staters believe the Biblical account of creation. But blue-staters embrace their own version of creationism. For example, yesterday Robert Rubin and Michael Rubinger alleged in your pages that fairness in lending is a creation of government (“Don’t Let Banks Turn Their Backs on the Poor,” Dec. 4), and today Thomas Friedman argues that scientific advance is created chiefly through government funding (“Fly Me To The Moon,” Dec. 5). Other reflections of this creationist dogma include the belief that higher wages for low-skilled workers and financial security for retirees exist only if created by government.
The truly scientific view rejects creationism and recognizes that our prosperity – indeed, our very civilization – is largely the unintended and evolved product of each of us pursuing our own goals within a framework of private property rights, free markets, and the rule of law. Adam Smith called it “the invisible hand.” Those who deny its operation in society are just as unenlightened as are those who deny the operation of natural selection in the physical world.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
George Mason University
Posted by Don Boudreaux on
Thursday March 16, 2006 at 5:46am