Strong Families Means Small Government

AS WE CONSERVATIVES mumble around about doing something about the welfare state there are people out there with and idea to really do something about it.

After reading Love and Economics by Jennifer Roback Morse, Arnold Kling is inspired to write:

Single moms and the welfare state go together. Strong families and free markets go together.

What could be simpler? If you like strong families, then you should argue for a smaller state. If you like big government then you better understand that you are in favor of single moms and the destruction of the family.

But think of the implications. If you think that a strong state and strong families are incompatible, then you have to think about how to resolve problems without having the big powerful state step in and solve it.

If people know that they cannot rely on the state to arbitrate these issues, then they will turn to families, religious institutions, and other associations within communities to help strengthen our values.

What could be wrong with that? Well, top-down conservative government by Republicans, for one thing. After ten years of a Republican Congress we can see that Republicans aren�t going to do anything about big government. If there is to be a change, it will have to come from below.

Those who wish to be part of the solution should focus on strengthening our own families. The lesson of Morse's book is that strong families are the only antidote to the nanny state.

But that, of course, means work.

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Christopher Chantrill blogs at www.roadtothemiddleclass.com. His Road to the Middle Class is forthcoming.

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