Japan's Sendai earthquake shows value of government

Here's a lesson for rabid conservatives and Tea Party types:

What good has the free market been in responding to Japan's catastrophic earthquake? Are people relying on the government or on the private sector in dealing with the horrific consequences of the quake and resulting tsunami?

The answer is obvious.

When there's a huge seismic shift -- in the earth, in the economy, in the environment, in geopolitics, in national security -- governments are the glue which keep the social fabric from ripping apart.

Yes, communities help. Non-profit organizations help. Volunteer groups help. But these entities are "governments" on a smaller scale: people banding together to aid other people.

We demonize government at our peril. We slash taxes at our peril. When a serious disaster strikes, it isn't going to be a capitalist entrepreneur who rushes to your side. Almost certainly it's going to be people from the government.

Individuality, competition, self-reliance. These are admirable qualities in certain circumstances. However, equally or more important are social cohesion, cooperation, mutual support.

That's one of the lessons we Americans should take away from the Japan earthquake. Government is Us. Something to be embraced, not disdained.

Comments

[Sean]

Well put, Brian.

[Dan]

Really? Amidst all the destruction and tragedy...THAT is the lesson you take away? That government is good? Well, I guess when all you have is a hammer, every problem starts looking like a nail, eh?

[Blogger Brian]

Dan, I guess when someone doesn't see anything good about people working together, every praise of government starts looking like a dangerous socialist blog post.

Relax. Government is good. Brave people struggling to save lives and avert a nuclear meltdown are good. We humans are social animals. We band together to promote the common welfare, as our nation's founders intended.

Yes, I think this is one of the big lessons of the Japan earthquake. Governments are what stand between us and disaster when Bad Shit happens.

Here's another lesson: solar panels and wind turbines don't melt down. They'll never kill anybody through radiation poisoning. They've also never produced a spill that wrecked a Gulf Coast economy and the environment.

[Dan]

I don't disagree...solar and wind are relatively safe. But that's not the only consideration. Capacity and cost are the downfalls. Supporters will grouse that if only solar and wind were mandated, and at what price for safety when government can control who uses what. But that's not how the free market works.

(Cue the vehement arguments about why capitalism is a horrid economic system...)