Editor: Crass Cash
When my grandfather was the ripe old age of 34, he saw an entire world wind of labor reforms done due to the Great Depression. When my grandfather was born there was no OSHA or worker's compensation if you got injured on the job. There was no minimum wage or 40 hour work week. There was no social security or disability insurance. There was no unemployment insurance. There were no food stamps or section 8 housing benefits. There was no such thing as a retirement account. It was the wild wild west of finance!
He went to school until the 8th grade and that was all the education he was going to receive. He was one of 14 kids who grew up on a farm and whose parents could no longer support him. So they gave half of the kids to a neighboring farm to help them work the farm in exchange for support. Some of them never saw the other brothers and sisters ever again.
This was only two generations ago, but such conditions today would be considered abusive. For those of you who don't know who John Maynard Keynes is, he was considered the greatest economist of the past century (by some but not all). He was a big advocate of the govt spending money during the Great Depression in order to stimulate growth. This guy is who the democrats always look to in their defense of a spending bill. He was also, some would argue, a proponent of social safety nets.
Well none of the current social safety nets that exist today existed back then. I'm not saying we need to go back to the good old days of every man for himself. But at least recognize how much you're supported by the govt. And also remember that those who give you everything you want have the power to take it all away. The more you support yourself yourself, the more freedom you have.
He went to school until the 8th grade and that was all the education he was going to receive. He was one of 14 kids who grew up on a farm and whose parents could no longer support him. So they gave half of the kids to a neighboring farm to help them work the farm in exchange for support. Some of them never saw the other brothers and sisters ever again.
This was only two generations ago, but such conditions today would be considered abusive. For those of you who don't know who John Maynard Keynes is, he was considered the greatest economist of the past century (by some but not all). He was a big advocate of the govt spending money during the Great Depression in order to stimulate growth. This guy is who the democrats always look to in their defense of a spending bill. He was also, some would argue, a proponent of social safety nets.
Well none of the current social safety nets that exist today existed back then. I'm not saying we need to go back to the good old days of every man for himself. But at least recognize how much you're supported by the govt. And also remember that those who give you everything you want have the power to take it all away. The more you support yourself yourself, the more freedom you have.
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