The Reinstatement of Personal Rights

The following excerpts are from a talk by Louis Even at the “Vers Demain” and MICHAEL congress held at Three Rivers, Quebec, on September 1, 1957.

Social Credit would see the reinstatement and restoration of personal rights. People are unique and each has a destiny to fulfill. While on earth, we must have an environment amenable to the fulfilment of each person’s destiny. This is our work by definition! Our work consists of establishing the political, economic and social environments to facilitate the human person’s development toward their destiny. What are a person’s rights? According to Pope Pius XII in his radio message on June 1, 1941, they are as follows:

“Material goods have been created by God to meet the needs of all men, and must be at the disposal of all of them, as justice and charity require.”

“All” means that no one is to be left out. If some people will have nothing to do with Social Credit, which says that goods are meant for each and every person, let them offer a different formula which will allow for the inclusion of everyone. Trying to solve social problems through employment takes people on the wrong track as wages cannot provide everyone with an income. Let those who insist on everyone having a job tell us how a child will be put to work so that his rights are honoured. How will the elderly find a job?

Technological advances result in a form of progress that decreases the need for salaried workers. More leisure time should allow us to take better care of our cultural life and to prepare for our eternal life. Instead, we are told that we need to work more.

Pope Pius continued: “Every man indeed, as a reason-gifted being...” Reason sets us apart from animals. The Pope did not say “as Christians” or “as Catholics”, he said “as a reason-­gifted being”. These are the words of a humanist. All human beings have a fundamental right to earthly goods, simply because they are human and for no other reason.

Does legislation guarantee the fundamental right of each person to make use of the goods of the earth? Our souls can be saved in whatever prison, dreadful misery or poverty in which we might find ourselves. God gives His grace there also, but salvation is more difficult in such settings. We do not have the right to impose such conditions upon people. A Christian cannot settle for disorder.

What does Social Credit teach? Do we ask that property be taken from those who have it? Not at all. We do not ask that a farm be taken away from a farmer nor a factory taken from its owner. But we ask that all people and each person be allowed access to the products made in the factory and on the farm. The owners of the factory and the farm will be the first to applaud when their products are found in every home.

Social Credit stands by the principle of private ownership but would nevertheless ensure that everyone has access to the great capital created by God and cultivated by people. Laws exist to protect the rights of money, but there are none to protect the right to earthly goods. It is high time there were!

Instead of distributing the earthly goods to the population, “real credit”, that is, the capacity to produce, is instead often diverted toward destruction. We hear: “We must take up arms! We must take up arms!” Conflicts are fomented everywhere. Conflicts about oil or any matter can lead countries to war.

What is the answer? What is the remedy for these problems? The solution is the distribution of earthly goods so that all might have their share, whatever their age, sex or intelligence; and whatever a man’s virtues, be he good or bad. Does the sun not shine on everyone, whatever the colour of their skin and whatever their nationality? “Material goods have been created by God to meet the needs of all men.”