Stealing from Each Other: How the Welfare State Robs Americans of Money and Spirit

Stealing from Each Other: How the Welfare State Robs Americans of Money and Spirit | Edgar K. Browning | Objective Review

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Stealing from Each...

	Stealing from Each Other: How the Welfare State Robs Americans of Money and Spirit Edgar K. Browning Praeger Publishers, 2008 - 240 pages average customer review:based on 12 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Almost all Americans would be better off if none of the federal welfare-state policies of the last century--including Social Security--had ever been enacted. So argues economist Edgar Browning, and with good reason: In 1900, government played a very small role in the day-to-day activities of American citizens. There was no income tax. No Social Security. No federal welfare programs. No minimum wage laws. No federal involvement in education. Government was small, spending well under 10 percent of our incomes. But now, federal, state, and local governments spend more than 33 percent of our incomes. Why has government grown so much over the past century? The answer, in Browning's devastating critique of the modern welfare state, is simple: the rise of egalitarian ideology--an ideology that has not just harmed the economy but made us all poorer. This book examines all facets of the welfare state in the U.S. and its egalitarian underpinnings. Egalitarians claim, for instance, that markets are unfair and that we must have redistributive policies to produce "social justice." This reasoning supposedly justifies the two-thirds of federal spending that simply robs Peter to pay Paul. We are stealing from each other. Browning's research and trenchant analysis show that: -Almost all U.S. citizens are harmed by the welfare state--even many of its apparent beneficiaries. -Welfare-state policies have large hidden costs which all told have reduced the average income of Americans by about 25 percent. -There is much less inequality and poverty than is commonly believed. -Most taxpayers will receive less back from Social Security than they put in. Provocative? Indeed. But such conclusions result from the most thoroughgoing economic analysis of the modern welfare state yet written. Written for a general audience, Stealing from Each Other covers everything informed citizens need to know about inequality, poverty, welfare, Social Security, taxation, and the true costs of government redistributive policies.

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Stealing from Each Other

We found Dr.Edgar Brownings book, Stealing from Each Other, utterly enlightening in disclosing the actual verifiable and often surprising facts of our economy, welfare system, tax system, job prejudice, poverty, and fairness amongst the well established myths common in America. He clarifies by arguing all points of view leading the reader to obvious practical conclusions. His sound solutions are hard to refute! A must-read for anyone who cares about our welfare and our economy.

Sharmai & Keith Amber, Co-Hosts, Mastering Ourselves Radio

Objective Review

As a talk show host, I read a book not only for its content, but also for its context and veracity. As such, I almost always source an author's endnotes to make sure that they are accurate and actually reflect or reinforce the point that the author is trying to make. Dr. Browning's work has no holes in it whatsoever. Someone opposing it would have to dig deep into a vein of mendacity to concoct such an argument.

"Stealing From Each Other" does exactly what it sets out to do, in verifiable and reason based ways - explain the disincentives caused and liabilities imposed, by the current welfare state. His book is a demonstration of the effect of reason over emotion.

Most guests get one hour to make their point. Dr. Browning got 90 minutes, and you can listen to the result at www.libertywatchradio.com/listen . The man is fascinating.

Charles Heller
Liberty Watch Radio
www.libertywatchradio.com/listen

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Detail Benefit and Cost Analysis of Welfare

Professor Browning provides a detail analysis of what proverty really means. Also he provides detail benefit and cost analysis of welfare programs. Readers may not agree with Professor Browning's point of view. But all readers are benefit from knowing the true facts and unintended consequences of welfare programs. I highly recommend this book to everyone who are really interested in the welfare programs.

A collection of unique, but financially sound ideas for America

Could the answer to America's economic problems be using the model of a government of one hundred and eight years ago? "Stealing From Each Other: How the Welfare State Robs Americans of Money and Spirit" is Edgar K. Browning's, a professor of Economics at Texas A&M University, solution to America's woes by calling out the welfare state. Stating that America as a whole is harmed more than helped by the policies, he calls for a removal of them, including social security. A collection of unique, but financially sound ideas for America, "Stealing From Each Other" is a must for community library economics and social issues collections.

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A fun, superb book

Professor Browning's Stealing from Each Another is a splendid philosophical and economic critique of the modern welfare state. It is concise and easy to read. In fact, I found it hard to put down. It's as fun to read as Thomas Sowell's Basic Economics, Friedman's Free to Choose or Alan Reynolds' Income and Wealth. One need not have training in economics or finance to understand the ideas or facts presented; it's written for a general audience.

In part, Professor Browning asks why egalitarian wealth redistribution might breed animosity. His answer (at least part of it):

"By their nature, transfer programs ensure that people have diametrically opposed interests, and opposing interests are often divisive. Social Security pits the young against the old, the federal income tax positions the wealth against the middle class, affirmative action sets whites against minorities, and so on. The political maneuvering surrounding these and other redistributive issues exacerbates or even creates conflict among groups and antagonisms and distrust become more common. As Robert Higgs expresses it: "People lose their sense of belonging to a common political community. Instead, fellow citizens regard each other as either patsies or moochers, and feel personal hostility toward those who appear to be net gainers from the system."

People become so inured to seeing groups receiving special benefits from government programs that they can easily rationalize securing benefits for themselves in this way. After all, "everyone does it" and "I have paid my taxes, and I deserve to get something back." In the end, everyone is stealing from everyone else, and it is not clear who really benefits from the smaller economic pie."

This, of course, is just a glimpse of what the author offers in his book. The above is an example of his clear and well-reasoned arguments. Great book!

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3

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