Theft

I had a long, complicated blog post all set up to post and then...

I read something on another blog: theft is actually wealth redistribution.  So you will get a slightly shorter, slightly more direct post.

As communist as that statement sounds/is, it was an interesting thought for me - my house was broken into during my first year in Peace Corps, dozens of other little things were stolen throughout the 2 years, and I said goodbye to Invinha by realizing that the student who had been helping me with house stuff for a year (and getting paid, given food, and was told he was allowed to ask for what he wanted but couldn't just take it) had been stealing things big and small for awhile.

I won't say much more - although I think in the purest form, theft is forced wealth redistribution.  Not that it is fair, not that it creates a nice ambiance in which to live - but the students who broke into my house and took everything from an electric iron to laptops were definitely much poorer than I am or ever will be.  The positive?  Maybe they took those things and made a better life for themselves.  Probably not, because they're teenagers with an underdeveloped frontal lobe, but maybe.  The negative?  It was the only time I seriously considered quitting Peace Corps and I completely lost trust in everyone in my community and only got it back for a special few. I try to offer things when I can and be perceptive to need  - generosity is the only thing I have come up with to deter theft.  It didn't work out very well with my student, but it might in the future. For a change, I'm not offering a solution.  I don't have one.


Anyway, what do you think?  Is there a moral certainty regarding theft?  Is it always wrong?

Me, a tin roof, and my trusty almost thief proof purse.