Get your government hands off my rush

As presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney seeks to equate President Obama’s policies with the profligate spending of now-bankrupt Western European states, the intellectual debate between free-market capitalism and statism has once again emerged as a frequent discussion point on the campaign trail. Mr. Obama has resorted to a populist message that seeks to paint the GOP as the party of the 1 percent, while Mr. Romney assails the president’s vision of America as an “entitlement society” instead of an “opportunity society.” The two parties offer wildly contrasting visions of moderated redistribution/interventionist policies (Democrats) versus the wild jungle of unadulterated free-market capitalism (Republicans).

It has come to my attention that Duke’s greek system has much to learn from this debate. With its assurance that each girl receives precisely one bid, Panhel rush is emblematic of an economic system based upon centralized planning and equality of outcome. It is very left-wing in its assurance of egalitarianism for all rushees, regardless of the utility they may provide to chapters. On the contrary, Interfraternity Council (IFC) rush is emblematic of laissez-faire capitalism—of what F.A. Hayek described as “men on the spot” making their own decisions to seek to maximize their own welfare. IFC seeks to ensure equality of opportunity, as opposed to equality of results. As such, IFC rush is brutally capitalistic—where some receive multiple bids and some receive none at all—and Panhel’s is more socialized.

Personal politics aside, I endorse IFC’s “opportunity society” and decry Panhel’s “entitlement society.” There is a reason, beyond historically entrenched on-campus sections, that fraternities at Duke have always been intrinsically tighter-knit communities than their sorority counterparts. The free-market system ensures that fraternal utility is maximized during the IFC rush process. Fraternities only extend bids to freshmen with whom they feel a connection; bids are not merely extended as handouts. IFC rush puts power in the hands of the individual, whereas Panhel engages in crony capitalism by picking winners and losers. If Panhel really wants its “best damn pledge classes,” it needs to get its government hands off sorority rush.

Josh Hammer, Trinity ‘11