[Gospelchristianity] The theology of economics

[Brown, Eric]

Not Going to Run Out
Topic: Obama Nation Building

Now I have outlined in a previous post the fact that incentives are
inescapable. It is not whether finite creatures will have them, but
which incentives they will have. They will respond to various incentives
according to their nature, according to the moral condition of their
heart and head. You cannot lure a hungry horse over to the fence with
bacon. Those who are interested in pursuing the theology of this (as you
ought to be) should check out John Piper's work in Desiring God, and
C.S. Lewis' great argument in Reflections on the Psalms. This really is
a fundamental issue in all human ethics. Grasping this theological point
is foundational to a right understanding of economics.

My point is a step beyond this, however. I am arguing that because we
have not learned what true human desire should look like (in its pursuit
of God), we do not and cannot know what human desire should look like
anywhere else. If we do not understand love for God, then how can we
understand love for our neighbor? The two go together, the Scriptures
remind us. We are all screwed up when it comes to questions of desire,
hunger, want, ambition and tax incentives because of our apostasy. We
don't know how to want anything righteously anymore.

And the nation doesn't know what to do in these matters because the
Church has led the way in this folly -- acting as though righteousness
consisted of taking good things away, instead of really wanting the
really good things, passionately, devotedly, more than anything else.
Lewis says, rightly, that our problem is that our desire is simply far
too anemic. We are far too easily pleased.

And this is why, at the end of the day, people (grown-ups, with drivers'
licenses and everything) can seriously propose policies with glaring
disincentives printed in block letters on the first page of the bill,
and then be surprised when people act in accordance with those
disincentives. The problem is not "math stupidity" -- the problem is
moral, theological, and personal. It is not an IQ problem; it is the
result of believing lies about God. And the world believes lies about
God because the Church (too often) preaches lies about God. But if we
turn back to Scripture, we should discover that this was not our
assigned task.

In the meantime, politicians will continue to jack up the taxes on
corporations, and be surprised when those corporations relocate to
another state without those taxes. The federal government will require
them to cap carbon emissions, and will lecture them sternly when they
move their factories to those nations which the federal government
expressly exempted from those caps. They will levy a hefty fine (excuse
me, I meant to say tax) on those who earn over "enter amount here," and
then be astonished when people refuse to go over that line (or refuse to
report that they have done so). They will create an enormous industry
dedicated to the eradication of poverty, not realizing that they have
created an industry the existence of which depends upon the continuation
of poverty. And so on.

They do not understand incentives. They do not understand incentives
because they do not understand blessings and curses. They do not
understand blessings and curses because they do not know that God is
triune, and that at the Father's right hand is a torrent of pleasure
forevermore. They do not understand that we are not going to run out. 

Posted by Douglas Wilson - 4/14/2009 9:33:57 AM | Print this post
<http://www.dougwils.com/Print.asp?Action=Anchor&CategoryID=1&BlogID=648
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Eric G. Brown

 

 

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