Collectivism is the idea that that the greater good takes precedence over individual good. The flourishing of the collective, the group, or the society is viewed as more important than the needs and desires of any individual. Communism, Fascism and all other forms of socialism are formalized, political implementations of the collectivist mentality.

Many collectivists think of it as common sense, observing the interdependence of individuals so often in reality, subordinating their goals and interests to those of a group. That certainly is true, as far as it goes. Most of us belong to organizations like churches, clubs or sports organizations, submitting to the rules, bylaws and traditions that make the organization what it is. Most of us are employees or employers, and thus associate on a regular basis, submitting a part of our time and some of our goals to those of the organization.

It is true that if everyone works toward a common goal, the results can be extraordinary. The whole can be more than the sum of the parts. The key element of all of those groups is that they are voluntary. If we don’t agree with the leadership, if we find that the group is abusive or ineffective, or if it costs too much in time or lost opportunities, we can disassociate with the group.

A key characteristic of political organizations, however, is the use of force to compel individual participation and compliance. Submission to the prevailing political authority is not voluntary. One cannot decide to withdraw without potentially severe consequences. That is why political power must be severely restricted.

Human history has demonstrated various forms of collectivism over time. One of the most successful has been marriage and family. Even in marriage, however, where spouses commit their lives to one another and their offspring, those that flourish are those where the individuals flourish as individuals, building on the strengths of the family members, formulating and achieving goals together.

As the size of the organization gets bigger, it becomes more likely that the participants will not share common interests, even more so as the population diversifies. It is less likely that individuals will be willing to subordinate a large part of their interests to the organization. It is virtually impossible for everyone within a nation, however large or small, to share a common set of goals and desires for the future. That is the tremendous power of a free society. It doesn’t depend on common goals, but rather a respect for the rights of others to their own goals. The pursuit of individual goals through voluntary commerce is the basis for progress and prosperity.

When political leaders force their will on citizens for the common good, they make some very bold but false assumptions. They assume that they have the moral capacity to recognize what is good, that that good is the same for everyone, and that the people have no right to choose other options voluntarily. The common good, as a political concept, is necessarily oppressive. Collective will is really just the disguised will of politicians, simply an excuse for abuse of power.

The great irony, demonstrated so often in history, is that politicians who use the greater good as an excuse are the most brutal and oppressive. The sacrifice of individual rights to the collective good precipitates economic decline, or in many developing countries, the prevention of progress and development

Political collectivism, in all of its forms, is the denial of individual rights. It is the rejection of freedom. It is the destruction of the incentives to individual prosperity, the sum of which is collective prosperity.

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