Tuesday, February 02, 2010

From each according to their ability

Raymond A. Joseph, Wall Street Journal:

Imagine what it would be like if, in a flash, all the centers of political and economic power, as well as the security apparatus of Washington, D.C., were completely flattened: no White House or Capitol Hill, no F.B.I. headquarters, and certainly no banks or restaurants. That's what happened in Haiti. The earthquake epicenter was a mere 10 miles away from the national seat of power.

Yes, imagine what it would like if, in a flash, all the centers of political and economic power, not to mention the "security apparatus" which sustains them, were completely flattened. Imagine what it would be like if there were no centers of political and economic power; if power was diffused.

Odds are we'd still have restaurants and credit unions. But remember how people from all walks of life behaved in the aftermath of 9/11 or Katrina -- or, in this case, Haiti -- by doing whatever they could to help people in need?

Now imagine if that were happening all the time, not just in the moments when the "centers of political and economic power" are knocked off balance.

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