Ed note — welcome new subscribers. Every morning at 8am from Sunday-Monday we release a new essay or article. Sunday is a special article — it is a recap of the week. Later on Sunday from 12-1PM we host a live podcast discussing the week’s articles on all of your favorite streaming platforms. Below is an essay on marriage and liberty that I hope you’ll find interesting.
Marriage, or the voluntary union of two individuals for the purposes of reproduction or child rearing, is the foundation of liberty and the gateway to spiritual, economic, and political prosperity. By providing a solution to the political problem of being single, marriage saves Americans from government intrusion and uplifts humanity in the process.
Consider the best and worst case scenarios single living presents.
At best unmarried Americans live a mostly healthy and well adjusted life. But their child rearing status, or lack thereof, creates a political problem. If they have children the unnatural separation from the other parent will usually result in a developmental problem for the child. From crime, lower education attainment, or drug abuse children of single parents find themselves in situations ripe for further government intrusion into the private lives of citizens.
If an unmarried American who is otherwise responsible has no children then this too creates a political problem. Either America has to suffer from a dwindling tax base or America must then become dependent on importing human capital from elsewhere. Accordingly this unwillingness to responsibly reproduce is antithetical to living life free from government intrusion.
On the other hand at worst unmarried people live a dangerous life of reckless self-indulgence. This too creates a political problem. Disregarding one’s obligation to one’s greater self
often results in unmitigated promiscuity, rampant criminality, and drug abuse. Such self destructive behavior almost always invites the need for big government particularly in a household with children. Children of these types of unmarried Americans are more likely to continue generational dependency on big government programs. This willingness to irresponsibly reproduce is antithetical to living life free from government intrusion.
Marriage creates an alternative that’s preferable to either of these two outcomes. As a transition from self-indulgence to adult responsibility, marriage uplifts the spirit of humanity. Marriage restores one’s faith in humanity by uniting two people and their children against a universe full of division and perennial controversy.
As a result children who grow up in these loving homes are permanently enriched by the confident togetherness of their parent’s marital obligation. Accordingly these children are more likely to go to college and avoid delinquent behaviors. This fortunate result is essential to living life free from government intrusion.
Likewise economic prosperity is another fortunate result of marriage. Married men usually make upwards of 40 percent more money than single guys while women make nominal gains too. This profitable outcome is essential to living life free from government intrusion.
Thus by uplifting humanity spiritually and economically married Americans and their children uplift humanity politically. As a symbol of indivisible commitment and financial success, marriage demonstrates that two citizens’ voluntary union is more gratifying, profitable, and competent than big government and their perpetual handouts.
Accordingly marriage is the foundation of liberty. And marriage, and only marriage for the purposes of reproduction or child rearing, is the solution to divorcing ourselves from big government.
Zigmund Reichenbach holds a M.A. in Philosophy from West Chester University. You can find him commenting on news stories of national and state interest at his Facebook page Zigmund Reichenbach -- Commentator or you can follow him on Twitter @zreichenbach1. Additionally you can find episodes of the weekly Sunday podcast that airs every Sunday from 12 - 1PM here.
To support the creation of articles like these visit our Patreon here.