The Key that Fixes Problems in Society

Observations of Two Men

Martin Luther King Jr. once observed, “We are saying that something is wrong with capitalism … there must be a better distribution of wealth in this country for all of God’s children and maybe America must move toward democratic socialism.” He also observed that “the curse of poverty has no justification in our age. It is socially as cruel and blind as the practice of cannibalism.”

His arguments pointed in a right, general direction.

Winston Churchill, also reflecting on the inadequacies of capitalism, observed that “the inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings. The inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.” He also observed that “democracy is an awful way to run a country, but it's the best system we have.”

His arguments also pointed a right, general direction.

The Solution

So Martin Luther King Jr. and Winston Churchill agree on one point: Capitalism doesn't fix all problems.

So what fixes problems? It's not the political system. It's not the economic system. Political and economic systems will facilitate solutions if done right, but by themselves fall short of fixing all that can be fixed.

The solution to evils found within political and economic systems is with the human heart.

Economic and political systems, even if they're the best we can find or develop, fail without sufficient numbers of citizens developing hearts of rightness. The evils can't be addressed through a political system or economic system alone. These systems are too weak by themselves. They have to be addressed through the type of faith that addresses the evils of the heart. That faith has to be acted on willingly on a person-by-person basis.

The solution can't forced. Without the repentance from evils of the heart within individuals, you will always experience the societal evils complained about or hinted at in the quotes above. That's because the ideals of every political or economic system to address problems can be circumvented by evil hearts, even under your preferred economic or political system.

The Bible points in the right direction when it advises us to “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” It faces the right direction when it says that “if we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

So there is a solution. But it requires personal effort by each of us. It's not easy, but will be rewarding if we each, individually, pursue what's right and move against what is evil.