Socialism refers to an economic theory of social organization advocating social or collective ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods, and the creation of an egalitarian society where one’s labor is the only important, individual factor of production. …<\/p>\n
Socialists mainly share the belief that capitalism by nature concentrates power and wealth among a small segment of society that controls capital, and creates an unequal society. All socialists advocate the creation of an egalitarian society, in which wealth and power are distributed more evenly, although there is considerable disagreement among socialists over how, and to what extent this could be achieved.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Ok so socialism is about “the creation of an egalitarian society, in which wealth and power are distributed more evenly” and it against philosophies which by nature “concentrate power and wealth among a small segment of society that controls capital, and creates an unequal society”.<\/p>\n
Sound familiar? Well if you are Mormon it should because our scriptures are chock full o’ instructions from God for us to form egalitarian societies, to work toward evenly distributed wealth, and to avoid the evils of concentrated wealth in a segment of our society. Here are some of those exhortations from the D&C:<\/p>\n
D&C 42: 30\t And behold, thou wilt remember the poor, and consecrate of thy properties for their support that which thou hast to impart unto them, with a covenant and a deed which cannot be broken. <\/p>\n
D&C 49: 20\t But it is not given that one man should possess that which is above another, wherefore the world lieth in sin. <\/p>\n
D&C 51: 3\t Wherefore, let my servant Edward Partridge, and those whom he has chosen, in whom I am well pleased, appoint unto this people their portions, every man equal according to his family, according to his circumstances and his wants and needs. <\/p>\n
D&C 70: 14 Nevertheless, in your temporal things you shall be equal, and this not grudgingly, otherwise the abundance of the manifestations of the Spirit shall be withheld.<\/p>\n
D&C 78: 5\tThat you may be equal in the bonds of heavenly things, yea, and earthly things also, for the obtaining of heavenly things.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
But of course we aren’t just commanded to “spread the wealth” like good socialists in the D&C; there are some good injunctions to do so elsewhere in our scriptures as well.<\/p>\n
\n2 Cor. 8: 14\tBut by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: <\/p>\n
4 Ne. 1: 3 \t(Also Acts 2: 44; Acts 4: 32-37; 3 Ne. 26: 19; ) And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift. <\/p>\n
Moses 7: 18\tAnd the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n
So there you have it. We Mormons are emphatically and repeatedly commanded by God to “spread the wealth” like good socialists do. <\/p>\n
Mormons really have no business sneering at the ideals of socialism.