General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: They should not be called entitlements.. they are earned benefits!! [View all]liberal_economist
(33 posts)I disagree, its not earned benefits. How do you define 'earned'? If i work all of my life to earn my own income does that mean that when i retire or get injured or unemployed that i now have earned the right to a portion of someone elses income?
its easy to define' earned' as the individual working to earn their own income and property. Its much more difficult to define 'earned' as the individual retiring to earn someone elses income and property. Everyone agrees with the first definition, the second everyone doesnt agree with.
By definition they are entitlements, because the government uses force to entitle you to another individuals property. I say government uses force because its true. Suppose i disagree and i say 'no, i dont want to give you or the government my income or property', they will send agents to come and take it, to use violence if i resist, to use jail if i resist, and ultimately kill me if i continue to resist, all to take my property against my will, to give it to you, or someone else who feels they have earned whats mine.
this is purely a philosophical point. full disclosure so nobody accuses me of being some crazy libertarian randian. i fully support SS, i make 34k a year, and without it, id have no retirement at all.
but it is a complicated issue morally, do i have the moral right to use government force and violence to take other peoples property for my own benefit. i dont know.