Peter Kerek’s letter (Wealthy Support Limited Government For Their Own Benefit, The Daily News, Nov. 14) is offensive.

His letter reflects the view (widespread in this country) that wealth is obtained from a pile of money that is free for the taking.

In fact, wealth should have to be earned and until those who loudly demand more understand that their income should depend on the contribution they make to our society, they will have nothing useful to say.

Those of us who believe in limited government do so because we would rely on the private sector for production. This is because the inefficiencies that inevitably develop in government monopolies generally double the costs of production by the private sector. The role of government should be to provide a rule of law and to foster social custom to ensure that success is obtained in the private sector by serving the interests of others, not by exploiting them.

Other important roles of government are to protect the right to private property and to free exchange, as well as to ensure the separation of church and state. Government should also do all that it can to provide its citizens with equal opportunities, not equal outcomes. Outcomes are the moral responsibility of individuals who have been provided with equal opportunities.

This is what those who think society owes them a living, regardless of the contributions they make fail, to understand.

RICHARD HOLMES

Kamloops