Cognizant that most Americans still know that communism leads to poverty and oppression, those who would make America communist push instead for “equity.” They argue that America’s public policies remained rigged against some while favoring or privileging others. They are not entirely wrong, though I believe that the disparity is more about class than race (or religion or anything else). But their policy approaches are flawed because they do not differentiate between natural, just distributions and maldistributions of wealth (or income).

In fact, so-called progressive policies increase wealth maldistribution, which stems from force, the type used by brigands, pirates, and robbers, or the type used by the state. True, sometimes governments pillage in the same violent manner as common criminals, but usually their takings are much more subtle, embedded in laws and administrative rules ranging from subsidies to taxes and bailouts to regulations.

Some businesses share in that booty via various quid pro quo arrangements, some illegal, like bribery, but others, like campaign contributions, strangely countenanced. The owners of such businesses often grow wealthy directly at the expense of other people, including the poor.