Social Security Benefits

It is a no-brainer that a lot of people are living in abject poverty, with little hope if any, to get out of it. That’s why President Roosevelt created the Social Security Administration of whom one aspect is to prevent people form dying of starvation by supporting them financially.

The Social Security benefits help reduce the asymmetry between those who have too much and those who don’t have at all. In this sense, it is a very positive initiative. However, we are starting to see the limits of such initiative very consistent with socialism. The main problem with the whole move is that in order to redistribute wealth, the nation must first create it. But with more and more people waiting for a paycheck from the State without producing any good, nor providing any service, the economy tends to weaken, and it become more and more difficult to keep the program running.

If the government really wants to help those poor out of poverty, it must associate the aid with some clear conditions. For example, young people with no mental handicap should be required to attend school if they want to receive their check. Other conditions can be explored.

The reason why I bring the conditionality element to this debate is because the system as it is now, promotes laziness, and is unable to help its beneficiaries emancipate. Instead, it keeps them in their underdevelopment and make them become lifetime professional parasites.