Timothy Birdnow

From each according to his ability to each according to his need usually reveals a lot of needy and not many able.



From the article:

In 1875, Karl Marx penned his most famous line, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” The idea was not original, but his precise wording is seared into the consciousness of every socialist and pseudo-socialist in the world.

It sounds so good. It is so logical, and yet so altruistic. It goes well with other platitudes like, "the wealthiest nation in the world ought to be able to feed its people.” One can almost hear an elevator music version of John Lennon’s Imagine playing in the background.

Intentionally or not, Panera Cares tested Marx’s premise. Mr. Shaich believed that those who were able would happily pay something extra to provide food for those who could not afford to pay the full price. He also believed that those who could not afford the full price would pay what they could.

Unfortunately, Mr. Shaich’s faith in this premise proved overly optimistic. Eater Detroit describes Panera Cares’s short history. "The restaurants weren’t financially viable… Panera Cares was reportedly only recouping between 60 and 70 percent of its total costs. The losses were attributed to students who "mobbed” the restaurant and ate without paying, as well as homeless patrons who visited the restaurant for every meal of the week.”

Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at 10:02 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 302 words, total size 2 kb.