Page 27 - HQ May June July 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic: when

confidence reaches its lowest level

Geoffrrey Dobbs, a Britsh and it is the aim and policy of social crediters to
Social Crediter who personally increase it, and to strive to prevent its decrease.
knew Clifford Hugh Douglas, There are innumerable commonplace examples
reminds us of this basic truth: of it which we take for granted every day of our
no economic system can lives. How can we live in any sort of peace or com-
function without confidence, fort if we cannot trust our neighbours? How could
and we will see that this cor- we use the roads if we could not trust others to
responds exactly to what is observe the rules of the road? (And what happens
Geoffrey Dobbs currently happening with the when they don’t!)
coronavirus pandemic and the “What would be the use of growing anything in
ensuing confinement. In his book titled What is So- gardens, farms, or nurseries if other people would
cial Credit?, Geoffrey Dobbs wrote: grab it? How could any economic activity go for-
“The social credit (without capital letters) is the ward — whether producing, selling, or buying — if
name of something which exists in all societies but people cannot, in general, rely upon honesty and
which never had a name before because it was fair dealing? And what happens when the concept
taken for granted. We become aware of it only as of the Christian marriage, and the Christian family
we lose it. and upbringing, is abandoned? We see, do we
‘‘Credit is another word for ‘faith’ or ‘confi- not? — that Christianity is something real with des-
dence’, so we can also call it the faith or confidence perately vital practical consequences, and by no
which binds any society together — the mutual means a mere set of opinions which are ‘optional’
trust or belief in each other without which fear is for those to whom they happen to appeal.”
substituted for trust as the ‘cement’ of society... One could add that without this respect of the
Though no society can exist without some social social credit, and of the laws ruling society, social
credit, it is at its maximum where the Christian re- life would become impossible since no one could be
ligion is practised, and at its minimum where it is trusted even if police patrolled every street corner.
denied and derided. “So now at last I have come to the question
In the pandemic, most activities are prohibited. of money, which is what some people think that
Shops and schools are closed and people are con- Social Credit is all about; but it isn’t! Social Credit
fined in their homes. It can be said that mutual trust is an attempt to apply Christianity in social af-
has reached its lowest level. Society is paralyzed, fairs; but if money stands in the way, then we, and
people live in anxiety and fear that they might catch every Christian must concern ourselves with the
the virus. Trust is eroded. Until recently, we took nature of money, and just why it stands in the way,
all types of activities for granted, such as mobility, as it surely does. “There is a dire need for more
free association, and Mass. All have been taken people to look deeply into the operation of our
away from us. monetary system, though that is not everyone’s
In paragraph 32 of his encyclical Caritas in Veri- job. But when the consequences are so desperate,
tate, Pope Benedict XVI takes up the same notion everyone can at least grasp the outline of what is
of trust explained previously by Dobbs, but using wrong, and could be put right, which will enable
the words “social capital” instead of “social credit”, them to act accordingly...” v
when he speaks of “the progressive erosion of ‘so-
cial capital’, that is to say, the network of the re-
lationships of trust, dependability, and respect for Make sure MICHAEL moves with you.
rules, all of which are indispensable for any form
of civil coexistence...This calls for a new and deep- If you have recently moved, or are about
er reflection on the meaning of economics and of to, please send your new address in order to
its finalities” (n. 32). save us postage as undeliverable magazines
Mr. Dobbs continues: “The social credit is thus are returned to us and we are required to
a result, or practical expression, of real Christian- pay extra costs. Thank you.
ity in society, one of its most recognisable fruits;

www.michaeljournal.org MICHAEL May/June/July 2020 27