Confiscation

Officials at the IMF are disturbed by inequity of income throughout the world. Wealth too. They have a number of well considered ideas about how to help. First, they suggest the tax rate in the United States be increased to 70%. They also suggest a "wealth tax" of 10% throughout the world to alleviate the world's unequal distribution of wealth. The IMF is an esteemed agency of the esteemed United Nations, has 188 member countries and states its function is to "foster global growth and economic stability." They suggest the "carrying off" of other's production and property presumably to foster growth and stability. The IMF has a storied history which includes a lot of "carrying off," or "rape," if you prefer.

Their motives are clearly so good, how could anyone object? Indeed, I have a suggestion that might help. In fact it might solve two problems in one stroke.

Everyone can agree that the greatest cause of conflict and war--aside from politics, nations and familial alliance--is religion. Even now Islam fights Christianity all over the globe and Judaism is in fierce opposition to Islam in the Middle East. And these religions are rich. The five richest religions in the world, Catholicism, Islam, Judaism, Church of England and Mormonism are worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Perhaps trillions. Why not confiscate their money and their properties? Not only money but art as well could be redistributed to the people.

No one would argue that religion has declined over the last years with an impact a function of their past, not the presence. Their money was collected in the past as well. And they have plenty of historical money that could help smooth out the present imbalances in the world. Nor is this without precedence. The first great Tudor king, himself the creator of a major religion, confiscated all the wealth of the Catholic Church in England and redistributed it, at a price of course, to many of the lords and gentry of England at the time.

In essence, it was the first, great Western redistribution. It was a moment to treasure.