1941 SOCIALISM, The Burden of Proof

THE BURDEN OF PROOF

Innumerable citizens have been and still are genuinely concerned over the trends toward Socialism and "collectivism" evident in many others parts of the world, and which appear to be threatening some basic changes in the economic philosophy of the United States itself.

In the current issue of The Nation's Business Merle Thorpe editorially makes the sound point that the overwhelming majority of the American people who approve our American economic system and principles have allowed themselves to be jockeyed into the position of the "defendant", by those who would substitute theses basic changes.

"The weakness of our cause," he says, "is that we have been jockeyed into the position of defendant. What a sorry spectacle! The burden of proof should be upon those who are changing piecemeal our institutions. They should be required to produce evidence that their program, which always calls for more political authority over the individual, has sometime, somewhere, even remotely measured up to the way of life they would supplant."

The achievements of the "American way" in the constant progress toward greater benefits to the masses of the people, stand as shining evidence of the value of that system.  Does it have to take the defensive and assume the burden of proof that it is to be preferred to the theoretical dreams and unsupported promises of the exponents of various "isms?"  There has been some trial of some of these economic theories in other lands.  The results there certainly do not support the Utopian claims of their advocates.  Those results are prima facie evidence of the inferior character of these doctrines.  Does a "defense" of the American plan still have to be put up?


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This article appeared in THE GREENVILLE NEWS, Greenville, South Carolina on Monday December 8, 1941

The words still ring true today.