First cousins: communism, socialism, and liberalism

Dallas Blog | James Reza:

“Monday morning soon arrived and we were all anxious to hear Sister Lawrencia explain the difference between Capitalism and Communism. First, she asked us if we had made some money and how we earned it. Almost all of the students replied that they did and how they earned it. However, some kids didn't bring any money at all. The total amount she collected from the working students was a little over $5. She then made me go to Lampton's Grocery Store and exchange the money into pennies. When I returned with 500 pennies, Sister Lawrencia then asked one of the students to divide the 500 pennies by the amount of students, which totaled 25. The divided figure totaled 20. Sister then gave all the students, even those who didn't work, 20 cents and told them to keep the evenly distributed money. Needless to say, those of us who worked for our money were very angry, but we dared not contradict Sister Lawrencia. Anybody out there has a better way of explaining: communism, socialism, and liberalism?”

Ed Cognoski responds:

James Reza recalls this story from his days at San Jose Catholic School in north Fort Worth. He also recalls the Hispanic students there winning Spelling Bees, Geography Contests, and the All-City Parochial Baseball League Trophy. It's an inspirational story.

Mr Reza asks if anyone has a better way of explaining communism, socialism, and liberalism. Sister Lawrencia's example is fine, but it tells only part of the story. She could have used that baseball trophy as a further example of socialism. Everyone on the team gives according to his ability: a home run, a sacrifice bunt, a good glove or just chatter in the field. Yet everyone from the cleanup hitter to the bench warmer gets to collectively raise that trophy in the air when the game is won.

Of course, the Sunday collection plate or church missions or any of a hundred bible passages could be used as teaching examples of socialism as well. Then there's Sister Lawrencia's Order of Sisters of St. Mary of Numur. I assume Sister Lawrencia accepted her calling as a nun voluntarily and found great value in her decision to live in a socialist community. She could have just told her students to look at the lives of the nuns.

Mr Reza didn't ask for examples of teaching capitalism, but how about this? Sister Lawrencia could have collected all the earnings of the students at their odd jobs over the weekend, and given the lump sum to the class student with the richest parents. Sister Lawrencia could have explained how capitalism sometimes doesn't result in the most deserving receiving the rewards any more than socialism does. Sometimes what matters most is who your parents are.

Sister Lawrencia could have taught how simplistic examples don't always tell the full story. She could have warned students not to let her simplistic explanations, which are suitable for grade school students, still be the extent of their understanding of these complex subjects after reaching adulthood. But that probably wouldn't have made as good a story today.