Q&A: Is the Torah Socialist or Capitalist?
Is the Torah Socialist or Capitalist?
Question
Hello and blessings,
In light of the recent weekly Torah portions and the upcoming ones, in which the Torah teaches us about social obligations such as charity, forgotten sheaves, the corner of the field, gleanings, and even the Sabbatical year, etc. — does the Torah take a socialist approach, meaning that social classes should be equalized and therefore a person is commanded to give from what he earned independently? Or is this only a moral obligation, while in truth the market is free? And does this have any halakhic implication regarding the character of a state according to the Torah, or do these things change based on the prevailing practice in the world?
All the best!
Answer
In principle, to the best of my understanding, there is no socialism in the Torah, meaning redistribution of property. Perhaps with the possible exception of the laws of the Sabbatical year and the Jubilee, and even those are highly questionable in this respect (Akdamot once published an interesting article on Jabotinsky’s doctrine regarding the Jubilee). There are obligations to give charity and gifts to the poor, but that is at the margins and not really distribution of property according to needs. True, this is not completely voluntary, since commandments are to be observed. Still, it seems to me that in principle the Torah is capitalist.
I would add one more point. I think the search for a socio-economic doctrine in the Torah is pointless and stems from a mistaken assumption — that every idea or value must appear in the Torah (that there are no extra-halakhic values). In general, as I understand it, the Torah expects us to be decent and just and to act uprightly. Now each person must decide what the upright path is in his eyes and act accordingly. Someone who is a communist will probably think in one way and should act that way, and someone who is a capitalist will act differently.
As an indication, ask yourself whether you can imagine someone who tended toward capitalism but, after studying Torah, changed his mind and his position, or vice versa. I don’t think there is anyone like that. And the meaning is that everyone plants his own views into Jewish law and Torah. Therefore it is better to be honest and not force Jewish law. Jewish law should be observed, and beyond that, the question of the socio-economic system is open to each person’s understanding.
I see the Torah as capitalist. But through its commandments it provides a social safety net for the poor, and encourages the wealthy to donate their money to the poor, as well as produce from the field. Under the commandment of charity, it is said that one should give a tenth of one’s income to charity, and the especially meticulous customarily gave a fifth.
Likewise, in the Torah we see a total rejection of “piggish capitalism” without social services. And that is why Sodom was destroyed (not because of “acts of Sodom,” as people commonly think today).
Another point: the Torah supports the idea that material labor and producing raw output for the individual soul is not the be-all and end-all. It is definitely willing to sustain those who engage in Torah study, the priests, and the Levites, with all the gifts that were given to them in the Temple and throughout the land.