Free people are better people

I am not kidding about this.  There is an old phrase that says you cannot legislate morality and it is correct.  You cannot make people be "better" people.  They have to choose to make them-self a better person on  their own.

It is human nature to resent that which you are forced to do.  At the same time, that which you have freely chosen, you will invest more of yourself because you believe in it.  You want to do it.

People who are free to be generous, to be stingy, to be hospitable or to even be rude are better off.  If, for example, you want to have people help the poor and destitute, by allowing them the choice, use education to make a winning argument that they will accept and buy into, they will most likely become terrific advocates themselves.  Investing far more into the behavior than if someone made a law telling them that they MUST give to the poor or share their income with someone else.

When people are forced to do something, they will often resent not only what they are being forced to do, but the end result or recipient as well. 

Forcing people to be generous or to share with others often has the reverse impact and over time, many will fight and struggle against it simply because they weren't allowed the choice.  They will not take ownership of it.  They will not respect or appreciate the result.

America is a free country.  people are allowed to be the person they want to be.  There may be fewer people volunteering by not forcing action, but those that do choose to participate, will invest more than they otherwise would have.

Maintaining a free country is more than just having laws that keep everyone equal.  It is what allows people to decide for themselves what kind of people they want to be.  When they decide to be better people, then you get the best people you could ever ask for because it's what they wanted, not what someone told them they had to.