Joseph and the Centrally-Planned Economy

Spend enough time in conservative fundamentalist circles and you'll occasionally hear lines of reasoning justifying capitalist or free-market economic systems on a Biblical basis. I don't necessarily mean that in a derogatory sense, either: those conversations are good to discuss and contemplate. Born-again believers, living to glorify God, have a responsibility to evaluate different ideas in light of Scripture, and some arguments are convincing.

But to kick this article off with an easy straw man, I spent some time searching for commentary a little more explicit. For every nuanced and careful examination is another whose train has long since left the tracks. Many claim that capitalism is intrinsically Biblical and/or that socialism is fundamentally anti-God. "Free Market Capitalism is God’s blueprint for growing a nation’s economy," explains Ralph Dollinger in his Capitol Ministries Bible study (lobbying group). "Why Socialism is Immoral" is the title of Trent Horn's article on Catholic.com. Back in 1958, G. Aiken Taylor penned the helpful missive "Why Communism is Godless" for Christianity Today. (Although Christianity and communism may appear "deceptively alike", Taylor writes, "opposed to the ideal society represented by the Church stands the Communistic society, inevitably godless.") Finally, Rick Phillips is quite clear in his Reformation21 post that "Socialism is evil because it inherently involves stealing." Hard to argue with that. It's a few of many, but you get the point.

Turn in your Bibles with me to Genesis 41. Joseph, fresh out of prison, is now interpreting Pharaoh's ominous dreams. Obviously, the fourteen cows signify years of bounty preceding years of famine, seven of each. What should be done about it? Here are verses 33-36 (ESV):

(Joseph speaking) "Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”

You know the story. Pharaoh, amazed by the wisdom of Joseph's suggestion (and to be fair, he was several millennia ahead of his time), appoints Joseph himself to direct the program. The seven years of plenty arrive as prophesied, allowing Egypt to stockpile enough grain to last them (and surrounding peoples [v. 57]) through the ensuing famine.

Please don't consider Joseph's situation to be exactly the same as communism or socialism today. That's not the point. This text doesn't establish any sort of mandate over us today; it was a unique situation in OT history. But don't deny the implication (or, perhaps more importantly, the irony) of a fairly clear example of what today we'd describe as central planning in the Old Testament narrative. Argue that Joseph's plan wasn't established or inspired by God (i.e. it came out of Joseph's own head due to his hours reading the Atlantic) all you like. Sure, but it's indisputable that God blessed it and used it for good.

The funniest detail, especially in light of our modern times, may be the fact that Joseph only suggests "one-fifth" (v. 34) of Egypt's produce. Twenty percent! That's almost comparable to what the average American pays today. Incidentally, some have used Samuel's warning against kings in 1 Sam 8:10-18 ("he will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards...he will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves") to establish a Biblical threshhold of ten percent that a government may not cross. That's unpersuasive for several reasons, but especially in light of Joseph's example. No specific number (ten, twenty, or anything else) disqualifies a government.

What have we learned? As usual, not very much. If anyone reading this happened to believe that any violation of the free market conjointly violates God's eternal law, please reconsider. Only a very narrow, proof-textual reading of the Scriptures could come anywhere close to supporting that. There are good reasons--even Biblical reasons--to enjoy the fruits of the free market; there are Biblical reasons to support it. (I'm pleased to say I found several such during my extensive research described above.)

The core issue is really that capitalism, in my eyes, has never really been a dogma. It's not a belief system, it's not an ideal, it's not a teaching or an aspiration. Instead, it's a science. Capitalism is an examination (and application) of how people work. Adam Smith wasn't illustrating some utopian ideal in The Wealth of Nations. He wasn't necessarily saying, "This is how things should be." Instead, he was describing the way things are; the way men act: generally, in their own self-interest. Capitalism (and economics) are a science: the science of how people act.

This all goes back to original sin and total depravity. (Most things do). That's a conversation for a different time; we're getting far afield. That's the most fundamental (call it Biblical if you like, for it is) reason these utopian societies are doomed to failure: they require most people (if not all) to act in others' interests, rather than their own. This side of heaven, that's something we'll never see. Or at least, haven't yet. Keep trying, I guess. We'll get 'em next time.