President Obama’s health-care proposal has been criticized as a social justice recommendation.

Furthermore, critics argue that social justice laws are the reasons for the big federal government and will eventually result in socialism.

Nevertheless, these critics have failed to remind Americans that failures in the American free market were the reasons for Congress passing the social justice laws.

Some of the social justice laws passed by Congress in the 20th century are:

1. Clayton Anti-Trust Law: Big business was not allowed to use unfair practices, such as preventing competition.

2. Child Labor Act: Limited hours for work by children.

3. Workmen’s compensation: Insurance required from employers for the protection of their employees while working in the employer’s business.

4. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation: Insures bank deposits. (Do any readers doubt the wisdom of this law, especially with the present American financial crisis?)

5. Fair Labor Standards Act: Provided a minimum wage of 25 cents per hour. It also prohibited the employment of children in factories.

In the final analysis, Americans must not rush to judgment and condemn social justice laws, especially if an expert on radio or TV calls them socialistic laws.

Social justice laws were passed for a simple reason; American business leaders did not correct the problems. For example, in 1915, Henry Ford paid his workers $5 per day. Ford knew that workers paid a decent wage would not organize labor unions. Moreover, the Ford workers purchased Ford cars. No other American business leader had Ford’s visionary business knowledge, and in 1938 Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act.

So, President Ronald Reagan told a half-truth when he said repeatedly, “Government is not the solution to the problem. Government is the problem.” Reagan was wrong! Government is the solution for a simple reason. The GREED of American business leaders in an unregulated free market system prevents the correction of the problems.



Roy Wetherington

Tifton