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The "maxim" issuing from "Uncle Joe" in his Marxist "vision" of the Culture of Death is actually the child of a failed earlier system: The extreme individualism of Liberal Capitalism that characterized the advent of the Industrial Revolution and the various abuses that occurred as a result of a refusal to recognize the social as well as the private aspect of economic activity and the property and capital used in and resulting from it (cf Quadragesimo Anno, element 46). The materialistic system of extreme individualism under liberal capitalism essentially destroyed any sense of community solidarity that should otherwise exist between and among those performing the work and those directing it (cf Rerum Novarum, elements 6 and 28, Ecclesiastes 4:9-10), and it furthermore regarded the human beings performing such work as essentially disposable and replaceable commodities with a dignity little higher than the equipment, raw materials and animals used in that work (cf Rerum Novarum, element 59). Extreme individualistic ideology and praxis under Liberal Capitalism ultimately created an evil philosophy, structure and hence Culture of Death whereby only the "strongest" and "fittest" ---be they individuals or companies----deserved dignity and hence survival. As with any kind of amoral system left unchecked, dictatorship was inevitable (cf Judges 21:25; 1 Samuel, Ch 8). Initially, it was manifested by the various business monopolies (cf Quadragesimo Anno, elements 99-109) that stifled markets, distorted prices, and had a total disregard for working conditions. At the beginning of the 20^th Century, however, dictatorship as we’ve come to know the term indeed came to many places with the advent of new amoral and ultimately immoral systems, namely, national socialism (ie, Nazis), Fascism, Marxism, Communism, and the various "milder" variants of state capitalism: Socialism and the excesses (cf Rerum Novarum, element 67) of the "social assistance state."

The state capitalism of socialism and the milder variants of the "social assistance state" that has seen extensive use since the beginning of the 20^th Century at its heart is also materialistic in nature, and is so prolific, pervasive and ultimately pernicious because it has ample opportunities to propagate itself as a result of the myriad of problems that result when amoral or outright immoral behaviors and structures are helped along by a disregard for the eternal moral law. Any of these systems will ultimately establish a Culture of Death and assign monetary/economic value to life, since people are regarded simply as material to be exploited as a way of raising, increasing, or preserving capital (be it via the profits of business or via the taxes of government). As long as your existence is economically justified by either the government, business or society at large----great. But once you’ve been deemed useless, or a problem whose solution involving your continued existence can no longer be economically justified by either government, business, or society at large----it’s good-bye. You’re a "problem" that requires the Stalinist "solution." Only the "fit" as defined by a criteria established via the law of force rather than force of law [since a "law" that permits such moral evil is no law (cf Summa theologiae I-II q.93, a.3, obj.2)] are allowed to exist. People in general are regarded simply as material that can be used when and if it’s profitable and convenient, and thereafter disposed of when and if it’s profitable and convenient (cf Evangelium Vitae, element 12).

In spite of a certain amount of apparent progress that proved superficial and ultimately illusory, the Stalinist system of Marxism and Communism in Eastern Europe largely collapsed under the weight of its own foolishness and inefficiency. In addition to the well-documented instances of food shortages, the environment as a whole took a big hit (a June, 1991 issue of National Geographic, in an article titled East Europe’s Dark Dawn, provided some classic illustrations). Given the hyper-materialism of the system and the need/mandate to meet production quotas at all cost, there certainly was no room for any expenditures for environmental control technologies and the like, not to mention investing in newer and more efficient (less polluting and ultimately less costly) production processes and equipment. Furthermore, since the land subjected to environmental degradation was held in common (as was everything else under Marxism and Communism), there was no incentive whatever to protect the investment by lobbying the government or exerting citizen action pressure on the industries or facilities involved. Other than through fear, which is always a poor way of obtaining virtuous behavior (cf Diuturnum, element 24), no one had or felt a personal stake in what they were doing (cf Summa theolgiae II-II, q.66, a.2).

Contrast that with a growing realization, over the past century, of a reformed free enterprise system that acknowledges the social as well as private dimension of the goods of the earth whereby a clean environment---and hence less chance of degraded or over-drawn natural resources or lost-work hours due to job-related employee health or injury issues----can be good for business both for consumers (better quality products made more efficiently and cleanly) as well as producers, not to mention an improved environment for all, especially in those places that stand to directly benefit (or suffer) environmentally and economically from hosting such industries. Nevertheless, there were still those places on the other side of the materialist spectrum, that begged to differ with this. Dallas, by the time of the JFK assassination, had become perhaps the poster child for all that can be bad about the extreme individualism of so-called "liberal" capitalism (cf Quadragesimo anno, element 46, Sollicitudo rei Socialis, element 21; Ecclesia in America, element 56):

For the Love of Money: $ex $ell$----and the kinkier the better
The Culture of Perpetual VictimHood that has progressively permeated so much of the socialist and near-socialist countries of Western Europe, North and South America and Asia in the past several decades and which attempts to rationalize any kind of behavior----regardless of how destructive for individuals and society as a whole---has ultimately had some odd side-effects. This "culture," which at times almost has the nature of a philosophy, ideology and ultimately a false theology, makes excuses for any kind of behavior, then demands recompense for the alleged causes of such behavior as a means of punishment and revenge at worst, and at best in order to "level the playing field" in the name of "equality" and "justice," as opposed to the kind of reconciliation, solidarity and personal and collective growth that only occurs when individuals realize they must Truly change if they want their lives to Truly change (cf John 12:24; Matthew 5:29-30; Mark 8:34-36; Dives in Misericordia, elements 119-123; 144-148). Basically, in the "divorce" of Mercy from Justice by forsaking the Truth that keeps them together (cf Psalm 85:11; Summa theologiae, I, q. 21, a. 2), the following has all too often resulted:

• A false "Justice" that, devoid of Mercy, is a form of self-righteous vindictiveness, often-times rooted in brute force and shear hatred (cf Revelation 2:1-7).

• A false "Mercy" that, devoid of any love of Truth or respect for Justice, ends up tolerating any kind of behavior, attitude, or life-style, no matter how harmful to individuals or society at large (cf Revelation 2:18-29).

In an an amoral and ultimately immoral human ecology, even where otherwise just laws exist, their interpretation, implementation and enforcement depend ultimately and exclusively on judges (cf Judges 21:25; Summa theolgiae I-II, q.95, a.1. obj.2), which is just one step away from dictatorship (1 Samuel Ch 8). Unfortunately, in such a system of unjust judges permitted by a society that has forsaken Truth and Righteousness, even a democracy becomes a thinly disguised form of totalitarianism (cf Evangelium Vitae, elements 20 and 70). Given the eclipse of the pure, True Light of the moral and hence Eternal Law, it should thus be no surprise that much of the world has been plunged into a dark new barbaric age (cf Divini Redemptoris, element 21; Evangelium Vitae, element 21) of lawlessness, since the most grievous and licentious of behaviors are tolerated, celebrated and in some cases sanctioned by law under the guise of "freedom and equity for all." More like a freedom to be abused equally by any and by all, and to do likewise to any and to all (cf Genesis Ch 19; Ezekiel 16:49-50).

Chastity requires self-control. Gluttony in one area (be it sexual or with regard to food or drink) invariably indicates gluttony in other ways. Such gluttony is actually a form of idolatry. Idolatry in any form is a "no no" and as such will, if left unchecked, invariably lead to the worship of false gods, above all that of self, or some kind of addiction that is essentially a co-dependent "relationship" with a false god----the worst one of course being money (cf Matthew 6:24; Philippians 3:19). This in no way can lead to a respect for either a Law or a Law Giver. Such idolatry can only lead to a lack of charity both toward God and our fellow man (cf Ezekiel 16:49-50). Since charity and chastity seem to go hand-in-hand, it thus follows that, if a person lacks one in any way, then they’ll also ultimately lack the other as well. Offenses against chastity in the use of the sexual faculties invariably lead to acts that are not open to life [ie, contraception, abortion, homosexuality, bestiality; etc (cf Leviticus 18:1-21)]. At the very least, they will tend to reduce interactions between the two sexes into opportunities to use each other as "mere objects of selfish enjoyment" (cf Humanae Vitae, element 17).

Since the beginning of time, the discovery of sex and the invention of money, everyone can agree that sex-----and anything that implies, describes, illustrates or consummates it----sells, and sells very fast and very furious. And, if it doesn't lead to actual fornication or adultery, lust for money invariably leads to compromising values or beliefs (cf Matthew 6:24), or forcing others to do so as well (cf Genesis 19:9; Revelation 13:16-17). Spiritual fornication and adultery, in other words. And, without fail, given the nature of the carnal passions warring within our members (cf James 4:1-4) and among each other, non-chaste sex, addictions of various kinds (thus opening up a "new frontier" for both spending and making money, especially when narcotics and other controlled substances are involved), and ultimately, violence enters into the equation.

Just as warned (cf Humanae Vitae, element 17) by Pope Paul VI----a prophet of his time that was mocked by the popular culture just as the prophets of old were in their time---- the sexual "freedom" supposedly provided by the abortive and contraceptive culture ushered in by the so-called sexual revolution has instead resulted in a legion of evils: An increase in fornication, out-of-wedlock pregnancy (condoms sometimes break, pills and chemicals sometime make women way too grouchy, fat and hence undesirable, and other devices can be cumbersome and even dangerous), venereal diseases, destroyed relationships, fatherless families, and DEATH (can you spell A-I-D-S?). With these have come other, spin-off situations, all of which became opportunities for someone to make some money: Lawyers, law enforcement and security providers, insurance companies, contraceptive and prophylactic manufacturers and distributors and finally, of course, abortion providers (it's interesting to note how many people in the fashion industry support pro-abortion candidates), not to mention a myriad of Government agencies living off of taxes collected by a social assistance state with unlimited ability and authority to propagate itself with the help of what Ed Koch once called "poverticians" and "poverty pimps." NOTE: Like all situations involving the adage of "He who has, gets," government may be the ultimate example of how this "principle" works, since revenue from taxes that a government "has" can at least partially finance functions undertaken to get "get" even more: ‘Tax and tax, and spend and spend, and elect and elect,’ in other words.

Like I said----$ex $ell$---and especially if both business and the government end up profiting from it. Consequently, why shouldn’t a government do what it can---via either direct sanction or protection or via "benign neglect"----to ensure that the grossest of personal and collective behaviors is for all intents and purposes sanctioned? However, just as it was in Sodom and Gomorrah, the most vulnerable of society are the ones at risk of having justice delayed and hence denied, especially when everyone else is having way too much fun to want to stop and re-think what they’re doing (cf Ezekiel 16:49-50), and especially when it’s done in the name of "liberty" and "equality," which of course is "always" in the "best" interest of minorities, the disadvantaged, and the "backwards" developing world.

A Brave New, Dangerous and Unjust World
In such an amoral and ultimately immoral "system" or "culture" (since the anarchy of amorality will always degenerate to the basest and immoral common denominator of state-sanctioned or mandated violence and barbarism), where the individual and collective love of money can be taken to its basest of extremes in getting the basest of results (ie, the basest of "pleasures"), it should be no surprise that human decency and respect for the dignity of the human person will take a huge hit---especially for the most vulnerable of society. In this case, this means the unborn children as yet known only to God (cf Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:13-16), the sick and infirm, the mentally and emotionally handicapped, and the very old. In such a brave new, dangerous and unjust world the sick and infirm, the mentally and emotionally handicapped, and the very old are regarded as "unacceptable" economic burdens to society, and economic development in general (cf Evangelium Vitae, element 12). In such a brave new, dangerous and unjust world, the cheapest and most "humane" thing to do, therefore, is to solve the problem via euthanasia. In such a brave new, dangerous and unjust world, the problems of poverty and crime are best "solved" by preventing at all cost the birth of those children as yet known only to God---especially if they belong to the various Fourth World nations in places such as Africa or places to which immigrants and the descendants of slaves from those countries live (cf Evangelium Vitae, elements 4, 16, 18 and 91; Ethical and Pastoral Dimensions of Population Trends, by the Pontifical Council for the Family, elements 69-72; Exodus Ch 1).

• The right to private property and its use is not an absolute right, and it does have a social dimension (cf Summa theolgiae II-II, q.66, a.2). Hence, the extreme individualism of so-called Liberal Capitalism will ultimately fail under a system that has no respect for the weaker and more vulnerable members of society, nor in its amorality has no respect for the right and duty of parents to have sufficient time to be with their families and to provide moral and spiritual guidance

• The right to private property and its use IS, nevertheless, a right that must be guaranteed in promoting a just social order (cf Summa theolgiae II-II, q.66, a.2; Genesis 13:8-9). Hence, the state capitalistic Marxist, Socialistic and social assistance systems that presuppose continued class struggle on the one hand and more or less assume that individuals are essentially incapable of making their own decisions in their own best interests, or even understanding or discovering what their own best interests are, will also ultimately collapse under the weight of its own burdens and dictatorial, paternalistic oppressiveness in a system that ultimately relies on judges that likewise base their decisions on a foundation of amorality and hence immorality

• Effective civil government respects the right to the free practice of religion and acknowledges that the teaching of virtue best occurs via subsidiary functions such as the family and church, synagogue, and/or mosque (cf Immortale Dei, elements 11, 19-22; Dignitatis Humanae, elements 2-8; Familiaris Consortio, elements 36 and 45) where solidarity and true love exists (as opposed to an impersonal governmental department or bureaucrat), since in the end, the only thing government can do is to punish and enforce via laws and regulations (cf Summa theolgiae I-II, q.96, a.2) when an individual, instead of through doing good out of free choice and with a properly formed conscience----and out of love to do good simply because it’s good (cf 1 John 4:18)-----instead chooses to do otherwise in a way that can endanger the common good.