Hilaire Belloc and G.K. Chesterton were the primary champions of Distributism, an economic system neither Capitalistic nor Communistic seeking widespread ownership of property as the chief means to household freedom. Chesterton's chief work on the topic, Outline of Sanity, points out the troubles of industrialism and describes life under a Distributist scheme. Chesterton's work does little to explain how such a wanted transition might be made. Belloc's 1936 essay, On the Restoration of Property, answers the detailed policy questions. Belloc fully understands that replacing industrial capitalism or its evil progeny, the welfare state, cannot happen wholesale. He recommends various small efforts that might be compared to a few saplings planted to restore a vast deforested wilderness. The hope is that others wandering the wilderness notice the new life and yearn for more.

Belloc insightfully traces many of modern society's ills to their source. The cause is unchecked competition in which the most efficient shop, warehouse, factory, farm, etc. inexorably wins more and more business from slightly less efficient competitors. Nothing wrong with competition or efficiency, but the result in a mature market driven economy is always a few 'winners' that become very large corporations and many 'losers' forced out of business. The losers then have no choice but to become employed as wage slaves of the corporations. In the drive for greater efficiency, the wage slaves are pressed down, yet are provided enough to live and even a slight excess with which to purchase products from the big corporations. Nobody starves or is coerced yet little true economic freedom exists outside the owners of the corporations. Belloc suggests several policies that might limit large corporations and allow smaller household size endeavors to thrive. I don't think his initiatives will work, but they did inspire in me a couple ideas that just might....

Here's a recent essay on Gulliver's Travels, by my daughter. She 'completed' high school earlier this year yet learning continues apace on the Road to 21. This essay reflects upon one of the books on that 'Road'.

Islands peopled by miniscule, vindictive beings. Giants whose pipes are big enough for a person to squeeze inside. Countries suspended in the air. Horses that are almost more rational than humans. Troubled seas and world-renown for the discoverer of such things. "Gulliver's Travels", the famous fictional narrative by Jonathan Swift, contains the stuff of fairy tales. Yet it's almost a fairy tale gone wrong, or, rather gone mundane, which might be worse...

Here's a recent essay from my daughter. She 'completed' high school earlier this year yet learning continues apace on the Road to 21. This essay reflects upon Arthur Leff's address "Unspeakable Ethics, Unnatural Law".

It’s an age-old issue—the question of fairness. Everyone scolds a cheater and abhors a traitor. And all of us must admit to using the phrase, “that’s not fair”, or one of its equivalents, almost daily, if not more often. The issue of fairness pervades our lifestyle, regardless of culture, but perhaps its commonplace nature has diminished the attention it should be receiving...

In this 35 minute lecture, Peter Leithart chronicles how enlightenment principles led to the current quagmire of the American education system. He carefully reasons to the conclusion that all true education is unavoidably religious discipleship.

Christians who worshiped with Glenn Beck at his recent Divine Destiny and Restoring Honor events claim that although Mr. Beck as a Mormon worshiped a false god, the true and living God was honored by the Christians who worshiped Him at the same events. Some even claim that God is honored when Christians publicly approved of Mr. Beck's words and action, rather than openly opposing Mr. Beck's worship of a false god. What does God Himself say about the worship of false gods?

The Glenn Beck Restoring Honor and Divine Destiny events are typical of interfaith services where representatives of various religious faiths unite. Can a faithful Christian participate or lead in such a religious ceremony?

Many Christians recently worshiped with self-proclaimed Mormon Glenn Beck at the recent Restoring Honor rally. Though the Mormon faith is considered a heresy by orthodox Christians, those claiming orthodoxy still maintain that this worship honored Jesus. One common reason is that the true state of Mr. Beck's heart cannot be known so we should give him the benefit of the doubt...

Some Christians who joined in worship with self-proclaimed Mormon Glenn Beck at the recent Restoring Honor rally, claim they were honoring Christ. One reason they claim is that since there are really two kingdoms - a political, national kingdom based on government and the kingdom of God - true Christians can unite with unbelievers on issues of common concern. Though I agree that this reason may be valid in some cases, it does not apply here...

I was saddened and confused to see prominent evangelical Christian leaders participate in Glenn Beck's Restoring Honor rally on August 28... Read On

Soft Despotism, Democracy's Drift by Paul Rahe is an important new book for students of history and anyone interested in the direction of modern democratic societies. Here's the part 4 of my summary and review of the book...

In the third main section of Soft Despotism, Paul Rahe examines the works and ideas of Alexis de Tocqueville, a Frenchman who visited America in the 1830's. He published his reflections on American democracy in France, hoping to influence the development of his native land's government. Tocqueville realized that monarchy and the nobility were forever lost and only democracy or tyranny remained as viable forms of national government...