Let us say that economic models fall along a spectrum from a totally centralized to a totally decentralized economies. The question is, where on this spectrum do we see the greatest source of wealth for human prosperity? Well, this question is answered in turn by a prior question of whether wealth is of a bounded quantity, or unbounded quantity.
If wealth is bounded, and there is only a finite amount of wealth to go around in this world, then the haves are always taking from the have nots. This is a great injustice, and the only just economy that provides prosperity for the most people, even though it is quite limited, is a centrally planned economy that shares out the wealth equally amongst all.
However, suppose wealth is unbounded. Suppose new wealth can be created at any given time to improve the lot of man. Then, a more decentralized economic model is more just than a centralized model because the decentralized model produces more wealth and benefits a greater number of people. In fact, a centralized model in this case becomes inherently unjust because it is artificially and needlessly restricting how much wealth can benefit mankind, and thus leading to greater poverty and misery.
What is the nature of wealth, bounded or unbounded? Within the modern paradigm of materialism, the answer must be bounded. Matter abides by strict conservation laws, and while resources may get shuffled around, there is no such concept of "creation." As such, within a materialistic worldview, the most just economy is a centralized economy. Therefore, capitalism is unjustified within a materialistic worldview.
On the other hand, if we adopt a worldview that includes intelligent design, then creation becomes a live option. We gain the metaphysical possibility of wealth generation. How so? According to ID, intelligent agents are defined by their ability to originate information, not merely pass it from one location to another. Consequently, it is only within an ID friendly worldview that capitalism gains the necessary metaphysical properties to make sense of an decentralized economic model based on wealth creation.
If wealth is bounded, and there is only a finite amount of wealth to go around in this world, then the haves are always taking from the have nots. This is a great injustice, and the only just economy that provides prosperity for the most people, even though it is quite limited, is a centrally planned economy that shares out the wealth equally amongst all.
However, suppose wealth is unbounded. Suppose new wealth can be created at any given time to improve the lot of man. Then, a more decentralized economic model is more just than a centralized model because the decentralized model produces more wealth and benefits a greater number of people. In fact, a centralized model in this case becomes inherently unjust because it is artificially and needlessly restricting how much wealth can benefit mankind, and thus leading to greater poverty and misery.
What is the nature of wealth, bounded or unbounded? Within the modern paradigm of materialism, the answer must be bounded. Matter abides by strict conservation laws, and while resources may get shuffled around, there is no such concept of "creation." As such, within a materialistic worldview, the most just economy is a centralized economy. Therefore, capitalism is unjustified within a materialistic worldview.
On the other hand, if we adopt a worldview that includes intelligent design, then creation becomes a live option. We gain the metaphysical possibility of wealth generation. How so? According to ID, intelligent agents are defined by their ability to originate information, not merely pass it from one location to another. Consequently, it is only within an ID friendly worldview that capitalism gains the necessary metaphysical properties to make sense of an decentralized economic model based on wealth creation.
