Victor David Hanson recently wrote a column purporting to answer the question “Why Do Societies Give Up?” (See original here) His answer in the end is “History has shown that a government’s redistribution of shrinking wealth, in preference to a private sector’s creation of new sources of it, can prove more destructive than even the most deadly enemy.”
Unfortunately for his readers, Hanson gives no evidence in support of his conclusion. This is, first of all, because there is obviously no way to answer such a question in 15 short paragraphs and provide any amount of convincing evidence. His little column is just a pretentious masquerade hiding conservative propaganda. And, interestingly enough, the little bits of historic information he gives, contradict his conclusion.
Much of his column is a quick parade of fallen empires, civilizations, and countries. He notes that many causes have been presented for their downfall: inflation, depleted resources, invasions, excessive spending, squabbling over fewer resources, “bread and circuses,” corruption, bloated bureaucracy, nationalization of industries, top-heavy government, and so on. Of these choices, Hanson’s conclusion seems to most closely fit the “squabbling over fewer resources” one, since he also earlier talked about “bicker[ing] over entitlement spoils” but he gives no reasons to believe this is the cause rather than the others he listed or others that you or I could think of.
If anything, Hanson contradicts himself. He also said that “By any historical marker, the future of Americans has never been brighter” and that we have more material goods than ever. If that is so, what does he mean by “shrinking wealth”? When he mentions “government’s redistribution of shrinking wealth” he no doubt, as a well-known conservative, means to criticize progressive social programs. But numerous studies have shown that the redistribution of wealth in the last 30 years has been to the elite. Their income and wealth have grown significantly while the income and wealth of the middle and lower classes have stagnated or fallen.
Hanson demonstrates the propaganda technique of a seemingly knowledgeable and authoritative coverage of a complex topic. As mere propaganda, it falls apart quickly on close examination. Hanson’s column is so cursory that it’s insulting to anyone with a regard for facts or evidence. It’s just an excuse to blame liberal policies for an alleged decline of America.
So he notes the horror of our “unsustainable debt” by throwing around the “T” word. Of course, if you look at the facts about our national debt and recent annual deficits, you would not be filled with horror or fear that America is going to implode because of it. You would be filled with anger that the corrupt politicians and the equally corrupt financial sector of this country have worked together to cut taxes on the rich and waste money on unnecessary wars, while doing little to counteract one of the biggest causes of our financial woes, health care.
