I read "America Alone" and he describes governments in Europe and mainly Britain that they have place more importance on secondary impulses over primary ones. He explains that primary impulses for a government and for a society are things such as; national defense, family, self-reliance, and reproductive activity. Secondary impulses are and not limited to; government health-care, paternity leave, vacation lengths, pensions and so on.
I would rename the two and call them Needs and Luxuries for a society. Without the Needs there are no luxuries, without luxuries you still have needs.
What do you think are a societies Needs, and once they are met what are a societies Luxuries?
Mark Steyn (who wrote America Alone) goes on to worry that Luxuries if too many can limit and impair the Needs, thereby unstabilizing the society. Something like a snowball effect. Do you see this as the case?
Perhaps this would work if we maybe wrote down what we think are Needs for a society to function and function well. And maybe a little of Luxuries and then go from there.
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i don't think i would use those same terms, needs and luxuries, since they are so loaded. I didn't read the book and so i don't know anything about Steyn's argument other than what you have summed up here. All that to say, the usage of Primary and Secondary Impulses suggests to me a tiered system rather than two opposing poles. So more like first level needs and second level needs. But again, i didn't read it, that just what the language suggests to me on first glance.
ReplyDeleteOK, i started to write some stuff but then i realized i think i need clarification. Do you mean what are the needs of a society to prosper or what are the needs a government should fill for a society to prosper?