Not Yours to Give

[Delc]

Now, if anything, your example of not giving up the apples and ending up in the gulag is applicable here. You've got 100 apples. I've got 50 apples. Joe has 20 apples. The cost of living is 15 apples. You can afford to give 50 apples. I can afford to give 25 apples. Joe can't afford to give 10 apples. He can either be dragged off to a gulag, or end up on the street.

Now lets add Bob to the mix. He doesn't like to work and has no education. So the government gives him 15 apples. Where does this leave Joe? Hes working 40+ hours a week to make ends meet, and Bob (who also has trouble making ends meet) gets to sleep in every day and enjoy his favorite hobbies instead of working. Sure he could get a job, but he would probably only make 15-20 apples and he would lose the free ones from the government, so he just collects the free ones and slides by.

Also just because someone can afford to give up 50 apples, why should they? They went to school, got an education, and worked to earn those (entertainment industry would be the exception).