Ideas and Consequences by Lawrence W. Reed

JANUARY 2002

A “Think Tank” for Those Who Don’t Think

“ he ideas of economists and political In these enlightened times a “Society of philosophers, both when they are Flat Earth-Centrists” seems beyond the pale. right and when they are wrong,” But something close to it was unveiled in wrote John Maynard Keynes, “are Washington only last summer. The subject T was not the hard science of physics or more powerful than is commonly under- stood. Indeed the world is ruled by little astronomy but the more pliable disciplines else.” of political science and economics. Keynes was wise to include the phrase, An article in the August 14 Washington “both when they are right and when they are Post announced that a new “socialist think wrong.” Unfortunately, it’s all too true that tank” was being formed in Washington, good ideas must compete with bad ideas and D.C., called the “American Socialist Foun- sometimes, at least temporarily, the bad ones dation.” Its officials declared that they will win out. Worse yet, even a silly or supersti- “focus on contemporary economic and tious notion that barely rises to the level of political issues and develop socialist analysis an idea can wield great influence. And in our and policies to address them.” Among other midst are crackpots who dredge up discred- things, their secretary-treasurer was quoted ited and discarded ideas, dress them up in as saying, “Socialists favor public ownership new disguise, and hawk them all over again. of the media.” Imagine a group of people—now, not 500 I acknowledge that I am in the “think years ago—who insist that the world is flat tank” business myself. A reader might easily and that the sun revolves around it. They interpret any skepticism about this group on seek to propagate these concepts to a broad- my part as a bit of competitive pique. I want er audience, so they form the Society of Flat to say up front that it’s not the competition Earth-Centrists. Ignoring science and experi- that bothers me; rather, it’s the preposterous ence, they turn out papers and hold meetings assumption implicit in the very announce- to contradict the conventional wisdom. We ment of a “socialist think tank.” Putting would demand proof of their claim, not mere those words in juxtaposition is no different flimsy rhetoric, as we heap on them mounds than placing “fire” aside “ice” or putting of evidence to the contrary. While we might “chaste” next to “Clinton.” Use one or the be tempted to applaud their zeal, most men other, but don’t put them in the same sen- and women of sound mind would write them tence, please. off as misguided, mystical, or mad. “Socialism” and “think tank” are, in my humble view, mutually exclusive. Arguably, socialism is the opposite of “think.” It does, Lawrence Reed ([email protected]) is president of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy however, produce lots of tanks. Tanks to (www.mackinac.org), a free-market research and suppress people who actually do think. The educational organization in Midland, Michigan. one quintessential, unassailable truth that 15 Ideas on Liberty • January 2002 distills from centuries of experience with While it’s tempting to cite reams of socialism is that when it isn’t arrogantly research, piles of statistics, and mounds of bossing people around, it’s stifling, stran- bodies to make the case against socialism, gling, or killing them. It is based on the ludi- that’s been done rather thoroughly by count- crous assumption that people who have a less others. I rest my case against it on the hard time planning their own lives, and often observation that socialism by definition does fail at it, can nonetheless plan the lives of not not rely on the free will and peaceful inter- just a handful of others around them, but the action of sovereign individuals to verify its lives of millions they don’t even know! The efficacy. Indeed, the very fact that it reduces result has been everywhere and in all times to force is testimony to its manifest failure. If what Ludwig von Mises brilliantly described I’m suspicious of any notion that favors the decades ago as “Planned Chaos.” dragoons over persuasion, the fist over the podium, then I guess I’m guilty of favoring Limiting Opinion civilization over barbarism. Socialists take aquariums and turn them State ownership of the media. Now there’s into fish soup. The endless socialist quest for a winner of an idea, or so argues the new whatever it is socialists quest for all adds up socialist think tank. In free markets, one can to pitifully little—nothing more, in fact, than not only purchase at minuscule cost an what French economist Frédéric Bastiat dis- almost infinite array of viewpoints, one can missed more than a century and a half ago as also buy a printing press or a bullhorn or a “legalized plunder.” company and manufacture one or more So it is that this new organization in viewpoints oneself. What’s the point of state Washington, devoted to socialism, is not a ownership, financed by taxation? Only an think tank or I’m Florence Nightingale. It is idiot would argue that state ownership a Ministry of Propaganda dedicated to broadens and multiplies available opinion; advancing mysticism and nonsense. Central state ownership invariably exerts a coercive planning, state ownership, lots of bureau- bias in the public square—limiting, if not cracy seizing and spending other people’s ultimately monopolizing, opinion. When money—the essence of socialism, in other socialists come to power, their attitudes and words—should no longer be elevated shame- actions are never inclusive and inviting. lessly to the status of a respectable science. “Why think when a tank will do?” would Diversity of ideas is a great thing, a pillar seem to be their guiding principle. of a free and enlightened society. No inane There are some settled truths in the world, scribbling should ever be outlawed, no mat- derived from such things as science, econom- ter how unpopular. But that doesn’t mean ics, human experience, facts, evidence, rea- every inane scribbling deserves the status son, and logic. The sun comes up in the east. and esteem of an argument. Absolute The earth is spherical. Markets are immeasur- monarchy as a political concept may still ably more rational and productive than cen- have a kernel of a credible case, but social- tral planning and state ownership. Heavens, ism as an economic system does not. It’s isn’t that what even a moron should sense been tried a million times. It doesn’t work, it from the failure of every short-lived socialist steals from people, and it lays waste to both “paradise” the planet has ever known? the land and the spirit. Get over it.

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