On Michael Harrington

I was disappointed with The Times’ editorial (Aug. 3) praising the late Michael Harrington.

Capitalism is not anti-people but pro-reality. If a man cannot profit from his economic activity he cannot live and prosper. The laws of reality are not going to change to accommodate socialist doctrine. Therefore it is capitalism, with its greater respect for reality and human nature, that better serves people.

As to justice, it is the essence of injustice to steal the product of one man’s labor and hand it over to another. If it is wrong for a thief to “re-distribute” the wealth of his neighbor, it is wrong for the government to do it as well. “Democratic Socialism” is the opportunity to vote yourself a share of your neighbor’s wealth.

Capitalism, on the other hand, allows man to live with dignity as a self-supporting and productive individual and not as a helpless incompetent, dependent on a politician’s promises and a bureaucrat’s whims.

LAURA RIFT

Canoga Park