76. On The Anti-Christian Nature of the Small State Ideology.

Nearly Beloved*,

The first time I heard the cry for a “Small State” in the political context, it was uttered by those involved in a dispute over US grazing lands. The “scofflaw”, Cliven Bundy, refused to pay the Federal Grazing Fees or recognise his obligations to the US government's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on whose lands his cattle grazed. In 2014 and 2016, the Bureau's response was to round up his cattle and remove them. That led to the congregation of armed anti-government activists, including the Proud Boys. These armed groups forced the BLM to back down because the Bureau was worried about the safety of its staff and of the public and felt unable to protect them. The US Government failed to support its own laws and regulation in the face of armed threat.

This, and similar range land incidents, occurred prior to the assault on the US Capital by armed activists in an attempt to reverse the result of the last US Presidential election on 6 January 2021. It was also an implementation of the politics and ideology of the Small State. The idea behind this is that management by government is to be rejected in favour of individual action which is equated with individual freedom. Donald Trump's politics is above all the politics of the Small State. An underlying implication is that the citizen has no obligation to distribute his wealth or resources to others, their fellow human beings, whatever their poverty or level of deprivation.

I was concerned to hear our own Secretary of State for Health, Said Javid, talking positively about nurturing Small State politics in the UK and asserting the need for “strong families” to bridge the gap between NHS care and reality. Everyone likes to be part of a supportive family, but I was also reminded that the Philosopher Jason Stanley regards familial paternalism as a key pillar of extreme right wing or fascist government. That is because the paternalism of the family naturally transfers itself to support the idea of the fascist leader as the paternal, leader of the nation. Following Nazi occupation, the Vichy Government in France abandoned the national motto Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité (Freedom, equality, brotherhood) and substituted Travail, Famille, Patrie (Work, family, country). Marshall Pétain himself said, freedom can only be exercised under a guiding authority which must be obeyed.

Government in western societies has the vital role of bridging the gap between rich and poor. It can redistribute income directly through taxation and benefits to the poor. It is responsible for ensuring decent law and order through adequately funding the police, law courts, prison and probation services, for ensuring the population is decently educated and has a reasonable standard of health. The ideology of the “Small State” puts all this at risk. Of course the British Tory Party has traditionally been a low tax party but recent talk of the “Small State” is to raise the issue to a whole new ideological level. The antics of small state ideologues Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng caused great financial instability by proposing to "starve the beast", ie starve the state of funds so rendering it defunct. This was a disaster because  they did not understand finance or the bond market or the political implications of their right wing policies on the real world. They were also seen as indifferent to the welfare of the people of the United Kingdom.

The small state attitude seems to me to be in opposition to the compassion towards others which Christ's teaching requires of us.  That teaching tells us to give our wealth to others and to follow his example of  promoting the healing of the sick and the welfare of others whilst turning away from selfishness.

We must pay tribute to Mike Pence the deputy President of the USA who, despite huge pressure and direct armed threat, refused to subvert the US Presidential election result in favour of his own party and Donald Trump. He has received unstinting abuse since from many in his Republican Party. He is the unsung hero of 21st century US democracy. Like him, we must beware of the Small State and the big man (or woman).

Peace and Grace to you all,

Paul.

Original 15 March 2022, Revised 14 November 2022.


The Royal Collection Trust, London.
Christ Healing the Paralytic by Van Dyke (1599-1641).
Objections were made by the Pharisees because he healed on the Sabbath.

*Nearly Beloved, a letter submitted but not published by St Clement's.


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