Social Insurance and the Constitution

"The legislators of that day," says Plato,* commenting on the institutions of the ancient Dorians, "when they equalized property, escaped the great accusation which generally arises in legislation, if a person attempts to disturb the possession of land, or to get rid of debts: because he sees that without this there can never be any real equality. Now, in general, when the legislator attempts to make a new settlement of such matters, everyone meets him with the cry 'That he is not to disturb vested interests'--declaring with imprecations that he is introducing agraria law and abolition of debts, until a man is at his wits' end." Thus ancient is the controversy between the reformer and those upon whose toes he treads; between proprietary interests and the Brain Trust.