Agency Quote by Howard W. Hunter
““If man will not recognize the inequalities around him and voluntarily, through the gospel plan, come to the aid of his brother, he will find that through ‘a democratic process’ he will be forced to come to the aid of his brother. The government will take from the ‘haves’ and give to the ‘have nots.’ Both have lost their freedom. Those who ‘have,’ lost their freedom to give voluntarily of their own free will and in the way they desire. Those who ‘have not,’ lost their freedom because they did not earn what they received. They got ‘something for nothing,’ and they will neither appreciate the gift nor the giver of the gift.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: General Conference, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1995
The quote argues that forced redistribution erodes voluntary charity and personal freedom for both donors and recipients.
In simple terms: Forced giving limits freedom for rich and poor alike.
Key Takeaway
Preserve voluntary aid, avoid compulsory redistribution.
Themes
freedom
charity
government
inequality
voluntaryism
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- community aid programs
- charitable fundraising
- personal budgeting
- political discourse
Key Concepts
social contract
economic justice
personal responsibility
Questions to Reflect On
- Is compulsory taxation ever justified?
- How can voluntary charity address systemic need?
A Different Perspective
It assumes all redistribution is coercive and ignores progressive taxation benefits.
![“[T]he tax code has been piling up, year after year, a symbol of everything gone wrong in America, of arrogant rulers and lost freedom, just waiting for us to pick the whole thing up and heave it away. It has to happen. Free people can put up with such laws only for so long.” quote by Dick Armey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aed/dick-armey-16265_america_t-he-tax-code-has-been-piling-up-year-af_12886.jpg)
![“We have no clear ideas of the agency of [demonic] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but tells us plainly that he is always watching us, and desiring to sift us as wheat. I believe we give him no more than his due, when we charge him with having a…” quote by John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c75/john-newton-6629_abundance_we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of_2907.jpg)
