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Socialism

Quotes

“The...members of the Church everywhere should know the Book of Mormon better than any other book. Not only should we know what history and faith-promoting stories it contains, but we should understand its teachings. If we really did our homework and approached the Book of Mormon doctrinally, we could expose the errors and find the truths to combat many of the current false theories and philosophies of men, including socialism, humanism, organic evolution, and others.” (Ezra Taft Benson, Jesus Christ—Gifts and Expectations, May 1975.)

“according to Lenin, socialism and democracy are indivisible.... The essence of perestroika [Mikhail Gorbachev's restructuring program] lies in the fact that it unites socialism with democracy and revives the Leninist concept.… We want more socialism and, therefore, more democracy.” (Mikhail Gorbachev, Perestroika, 1987.)

“We are going to try to take all of the money that we think is unnecessarily being spent and take it from the 'haves' and give it to the 'have nots' that need it so much.” (President Lyndon Johnson, White House Address, January 15, 1964.)

“We heard Brother Taylor's exposition of what is called Socialism this morning. What can they do? Live on each other and beg. It is a poor, unwise and very imbecile people who cannot take care of themselves.” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 14, p. 15.)

“Many of you may have heard what certain journalists have had to say about Brigham Young being opposed to free schools. I am opposed to free education as much as I am opposed to taking away property from one man and giving it to another who knows not how to take care of it.…in aiding and blessing the poor I do not believe in allowing my charities to go through the hands of a set of robbers who pocket nine-tenths themselves, and give one-tenth to the poor. Therein is the difference between us; I am for the real act of doing and not saying. Would I encourage free schools by taxation? No!” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 18 p. 357. April 6, 1877.)

“Government is instituted to protect property of every sort.... This being the end of government, that alone is not a just government which impartially secures to every man, whatever is his own.… That is not a just government, nor is property secure under it, where the property which a man has in his personal safety and personal liberty is violated by arbitrary seizures of one class of citizens for the service of the rest.” (James Madison, The Complete Madison, p. 267.)

“No man would become a member of a community in which he could not enjoy the fruits of his honest labor and industry. The preservation of property, then, is a primary object of the social compact.... The legislature, therefore, had no authority to make an act divesting one citizen of his freehold, and vesting it in another, without a just compensation. It is inconsistent with the principles of reason, justice and moral rectitude; it is incompatible with the comfort, peace and happiness of mankind; it is contrary to the principles of social alliance in every free government; and lastly, it is contrary to the letter and spirit of the Constitution.” (Justice William Paterson VanHorne's Lessee v. Dorrance, 2 U.S. 304, 28 F.Cas. 1012 C.C.Pa. 1795.)

“If history could prove and teach us anything, it would be the private ownership of the means of production as a necessary requisite of civilization and material well-being. All civilizations have up to now been based on private property. Only nations committed to the principle of private property have risen above the penury and produced science, art, and literature. There is no experience to show that any other social system could provide mankind with any of the achievements of civilization.” (Dr. Ludwig von Mises, Socialism, p. 583. 1951.)

“I can find no warrant for such an appropriation in the Constitution, and I do not believe that the power and duty of the General Government ought to be extended to the relief of individual suffering which is in no manner properly related to the public service or benefit. A prevelent tendency to disregard the limited mission of this power and duty should, I think, be steadfastly resisted, to the end that the lesson should be constantly enforced that though the people support the Government, the Government should not support the people.”

“The friendliness and charity of our countrymen can always be relied upon to relieve thier fellow-citizens in misfortune. This has been repeatedly and quite lately demonstrated. Federal aid in such cases encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the Government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character, while it prevents the indulgence among our people of that kindly sentiment and conduct which strengthens the bonds of a common brotherhood.” (President Grover Cleveland, Why The President Said No, Essays on Liberty)

“For out of such an ungoverned populace one is usually chosen as leader … someone bold and unscrupulous … who curries favor with the people by giving them other men's property.” (Marcus Tullius Cicero)

“Every man's life is at the call of the nation and so must be every man's property. We are living today in a highly organized state of socialism. The state is all; the individual is of importance only as he contributes to the welfare of the state. His property is [his] only as the state does not need it. He must hold his life and his possessions at the call of the state.” (Bernard Baruch, 1918.)

“...the Church has not found it possible to follow along the lines of the present general tendency in the matter of property rights, taxes, the curtailment of rights and liberties of the people, nor in general the economic policies of what is termed the “New Deal”....unless the people of America forsake the sins and the errors, political and otherwise, of which they are now guilty and return to the practice of the great fundamental principles of Christianity, and of Constitutional government, there will be no exaltation for them spiritually, and politically we shall lose our liberty and free institutions....We believe that our real threat comes from within and not from without, and it comes from the underlying spirit common to Naziism, Fascism, and Communism, namely the spirit which would array class against class, which would set up a socialistic state of some sort, which would rob the people of the liberties which we possess under the Constitution, and would set up such a reign of terror as exists now in many parts of Europe....We confess to you that it has not been possible for us to unify our own people even upon the necessity of such a turning about, and therefore we cannot unfortunately, and we say it regretfully, make any practical suggestion to you as to how the nation can be turned about.” (Heber J. Grant, also J. Ruben Clark, Jr. and David O. McKay signed as the First Presidency, written during World War II Letter to the U.S. Treasury, September 30, 1941.)

“The ultimate effect of shielding men from the effects of folly, is to fill the world with fools.” (Herbert Spencer)

“The writings of the socialists are full of such utopian fancies. Whether they call themselves Marxian or non-Marxian socialists, technocrats, or simply planners, they are all eager to show how foolishly things are arranged in reality and how happily men could live if they were to invest the reformers with dictatorial powers.” (Dr. Ludwig von Mises, Human Action)

“Do I not know that a nation like that in which we live, a nation which is blessed with the freest, the most enlightened and magnificent government in the world today, with privileges which would exalt people to heaven if they lived up to them—do I not know that if they do not live up to them, but violate them and trample them under their feet, and discard the sacred principles of liberty by which we ought to be governed—do I not know that their punishment will be commensurate with the enlightenment which they possess? I do. And I know I cannot help but know—that there are a great many more afflictions yet awaiting this nation.” (John Taylor, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 22, p. 141. July 3, 1881.)

“I voiced a warning against what we then knew as Bolshevism and Socialism, and what we now know as Communism. I thought I saw it coming, and it came.…And there is nothing that we should not do to preserve this country, and its liberties, and its free institutions.
…if [the conspiracy] comes here it will probably come in its full vigor and there will be a lot of vacant places among those who guide and direct, not only this government, but also this Church of ours.” (J. Reuben Clark, Conference Report, p. 80. April 1952.)

“Mr. de Saint-Cricq would extend his philanthropy only to some of the industrial groups; he would demand that the law control the consumers to benefit the producers.

“Mr. Considerant would sponsor the cause of the labor groups; he would use the law to secure for them a guaranteed minimum of clothing, housing, and all other necessities of life.

“Mr. Louis Blanc would say—and with reason—that these minimum guarantees are merely the beginning of complete fraternity; he would say that the law should give tools of production and free education to all working people.

“Another person would observe that this arrangement would still leave room for inequality; he would claim that the law should give to everyone—even in the most inaccessible hamlet—luxury, literature, and art.

“All of these proposals are the high road to communism; legislation will then be—in fact, it already is—the battlefield for the fantasies and greed of everyone.”
(Frederic Bastiat, The Law, p. 70. 1850.)

“Mr. de Lamartine once wrote to me thusly: ‘Your doctrine is only half of my program. You have stopped at liberty; I go on to fraternity.’ I answered him: ‘The second half of your program will destroy the first.’” (Frederic Bastiat, Fraternity refers to the slogan of the French Revolution “Liberte, Egalite, Faternite” or Liberty, Equality, and Brotherhood which in part exploited the masses on to revolution seeking to enforce all three by government decree. The Law, p. 22. 1850.)

“You would be forcibly fed, clothed, lodged, taught, and employed whether you like it or not. If it were discovered that you had not character and industry enough to be worth all this trouble, you might possibly be executed in a kindly manner...” (Fabian Socialist George Bernard Shaw, bared the totalitarian fangs lurking behind all the socialist rhetoric. Make no mistake about the goals of those who would rule us. The Intelligent Woman's Guide to Socialism and Captialism, p. 470. 1928.)

“I attended a second lecture on Socialism...I said I did not believe the doctrine.” (Joseph Smith, after attending two lectures on socialism given by Mr. John Finch, a socialist from England, Joseph wrote the above comment, underlining the original. History of the Church, Vol. VI, pp. 32-33. September 1843.)

“I was speaking, a while ago, about the people there being divided into three classes. One of them you may call infidel, under the head of Socialism.” (John Taylor)

“During the first half of the 20th century we have traveled far into the soul destroying land of socialism.” (David O. McKay)

“Now, keep in mind with all the crowding in of socialistic reform programs that are threatening the very foundation of the Church...I warn you that government subsidies are not the Lord's way.” (President Harold B. Lee)

“...collectivism, another word for Socialism, is a part of the communist strategy. Communism is essentially socialism.” (Ezra Taft Benson)

“Many are called but few are chosen. If men on the earth that hold the priesthood cannot constrain themselves from exercising compulsion upon their fellow men, then how is God going to trust them with the priesthood—which exercises no compulsion—in the eternities?” (M B, February 2006.)

“I also spoke at length for the repeal of the ordinance of the city licensing merchants, hawkers, taverns, and ordinaries, desiring that this might be a free people, and enjoy equal rights and privileges, and the ordinances were repealed.” (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 8.)

“These revolutionists are using a technique that is as old as the human race, — a fervid but false solicitude for the unfortunate over whom they thus gain mastery, and then enslave them.” (David O. McKay, Statements on Communism and the Constitution of the United States, 1964.)

“One of the most insidious aspects of government paternalism is that it deprives people of the will to be free. By means of continued doses of government welfare, people are transformed from lovers of freedom, motivated by a spirit of independence, to seekers after security unsure of their ability to stand on their own feet with the help of God. They are willing to forget about freedom if the government will promise them security.

“[This] condition is little different in principle from a willingness to barter one’s own freedom in exchange for a promise of security from a master—in other words to sell oneself into slavery. Slaves have their lives and a considerable freedom of movement if they convince their masters they will do only what their masters wish. Any property they have would be subject to the control of their masters; but this is not of great importance to a slave because he is fed, clothed and housed by his master anyhow.” (Jerome Horowitz, The Elders of Israel and the Constitution, p. 87. 1970.)

“If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretence of taking care of them, they must become happy.” (Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Thomas Cooper, The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 10, p. 342. November 29, 1802.)

“Is there some conclusion to be drawn from the difficulty socialists seem to have finding examples of successful socialism to counter the consistent pattern of socialist failures? Can it be that although most of the people who accept socialism feel that they are intelligent and enlightened, acceptance of socialism is really based on a kind of unreasoning emotional faith rather than an intelligent analysis of extensive factual evidence?” (Jerome Horowitz, The Elders of Israel and the Constitution, pp. 96-97. 1970.)

“Most of the major ills of the world have been caused by well meaning people who ignored the principle of individual freedom, except as applied to themselves, and who were obsessed with fanatical zeal to improve the lot of mankind-in-the-mass through some pet formula of their own…the harm done by ordinary criminals, murderers, gangsters, and thieves is negligible in comparison with the agony inflicted upon human beings by the professional ‘do-gooders,’ who attempt to set themselves up as gods on earth and who would ruthlessly force their views on all others.” (Henry Grady Weaver, The Mainspring of Human Progress, pp. 40-41.)

“A frequently mentioned objection to capitalism is the argument that free enterprise, without government intervention, does not adequately provide for the poor and underprivileged. But it should be remembered that the free enterprise system is the one system that provides the framework under which the poor can become rich, and that under it America has been the land of opportunity the poor of other lands have struggled to enter. Instead of having to build a wall to keep people in, the United States has the problem of multitudes anxious to sacrifice greatly to enter and establish their posterity in this land of freedom and opportunity.” (Jerome Horowitz, The Elders of Israel and the Constitution, p. 121. 1970.)

“It should be emphasized that laws appropriating or regulating the use of a person's property to achieve such moral objectives not only constitute an unconstitutional interference with his property rights, but such laws also violate his freedom of religion, and actually amount to the beginnings of an unconstitutional compulsory state religion.” (Jerome Horowitz, The Elders of Israel and the Constitution, pp. 178. 1970.)

“Unwise legislation, too often prompted by political expediency, is periodically being enacted that seductively undermines man's right of free agency, robs him of his rightful liberties, and makes him but a cog in the crushing wheel of a regimentation which, if persisted in, will end in dictatorship.” (David O. McKay, April 1950.)

“Having been commanded by the Lord to do so, Nephi boldly told the people that they had united themselves to this band of robbers:


Yea wo be unto you because of that great abomination which has come among you; and ye have united yourselves unto it, yea to that secret band which was established by Gadianton! (Helaman 7:25)


“One can only imagine that those righteous Nephites who has been seduced into upholding, supporting, and partaking of the spoils of the Robbers were profoundly shocked when charged with having united with a criminal conspiracy. People in our nation today are ofttimes startled and angered when told that the welfare state practices they favor are the identical political programs proposed by the Communists to bring about socialism….The record is clear that the reason the conspiracy had succeeded in capturing control of the government was that the Nephites had been seduced into partaking of its spoils. (Helaman 6:38–39)” (H. Verlan Andersen, Many are Called But Few are Chosen)

“I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on the objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.” (James Madison)

“Now the people of Akish were desirous for gain, even as Akish was desirous for power; wherefore, the sons of Akish did offer them money, by which means they drew away the more part of the people after them.” (Moroni, Ether, Book of Mormon, 9:11.)

“As important as are all other principles of the gospel, it was the freedom issue which determined whether you received a body. To have been on the wrong side of the freedom issue during the war in heaven meant eternal damnation. How then can Latter-day Saints expect to be on the wrong side in this life and escape the eternal consequences? The war in heaven is raging on earth today. The issues are the same: ‘Shall men be compelled to do what others claim is for their best welfare’ or will they heed the counsel of the prophet and preserve their freedom?” (Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, April 1965.)

“It is time, therefore, that every American, and especially every member of the priesthood, became informed about the aims, tactics, and schemes of socialistic-communism. This becomes particularly important when it is realized that communism is turning out to be the earthly image of the plan which Satan presented in the pre-existence. The whole program of socialistic- communism is essentially a war against God and the plan of salvation—the very plan which we fought to uphold during ‘the war in heaven.’” (Ezra Taft Benson, Secret Combinations, Conference Report, October 1961.)

“Secret combinations flourished because, as Helaman tells us, the Gadianton robbers ‘had seduced the more part of the righteous until they had come down to believe in their works and partake of their spoils’ (Helaman 6:38)... even as today.” (Ezra Taft Benson, The Savior’s Visit to America, Ensign, p. 4. May 1987.)

“For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.” (Scriptural, Isaiah referring to evil men in the last days who would find a way to gather the riches of the people without an outcry. Isaiah, Bible, 10:13-14.)

“Those who subscribe to this [totalitarian] philosophy stop at nothing to achieve their ends...force, trickery, lies, broken promises, mayhem, and individual and mass murder.” (Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, October 1960.)