In a perfectly godly world, that which is good for the individual is also good for the many. Ultimately, collectivism and individualism are at odds only because of human sin. Virtually every modern tyrant has appealed to collectivism to seize power, and dictators regularly portray their authoritarianism as necessary for the benefit of the nation as a whole. This is especially dangerous politically: great evils, including genocide, have often been perpetrated in the name of a “greater good.” Ironically, an extreme approach to collectivism always winds up benefitting a few powerful individuals. So long as some policy, procedure, or law can be passed off as beneficial for “the many,” a society expressing unreasonable collectivism will endure it. The most catastrophic abuses of collectivism occur when the “needs of the many” becomes an absolute ideal. It’s key to realize that morality and decision-making are given an individualist character in the Bible, even if the moral ideal is to make collectivist-friendly decisions. God expects people to act in the best interests of others-but what’s really in everyone’s best interests might not be the same as what’s popular or what’s demanded by the culture. Given that context, it seems Scripture endorses a collectivist attitude in some matters, but that attitude is meant to be expressed on an individual, personal, and voluntary level. Nor does it allow the more numerous able-bodied to abuse or neglect those with handicaps (James 1:27 Zechariah 7:8–10). Scripture does not support the idea of taking from the wealthy simply because the more numerous group wants their money (Matthew 21:33–41 25:14–30). The same concept of self-sacrifice and preference for others means “the many” have a moral obligation not to take advantage of “the few.” That applies whether the individuals in question are perceived as advantaged or disadvantaged. However, collectivism can be taken too far. Individuals have rights and value, but so does the larger society-which, of course, is comprised of valuable individuals with rights. This is part of the purpose behind church discipline (1 Corinthians 5:13) and the entire purpose of criminal punishments, including the death penalty (Romans 13:3–4 Exodus 21:12). In some instances, it’s scriptural to give precedence to the health and well-being of a group over the health and well-being of a single person. So, collectivism has a certain level of biblical support. It could be said that Jesus’ death on the cross was the ultimate expression of collectivism, as He endured great personal suffering for the sake of many other people (Romans 5:15–19). The general theme of Christian ethics is self-sacrificial love of others (Ephesians 5:2). In other places, Scripture instructs individuals to place the needs of others above their own, such as in Philippians 2:3 and Romans 12:10. Examples of this are Acts 2:44 and Acts 4:32. In some cases, the Bible describes collectivist behavior without requiring it or even endorsing it. The Bible contains examples of collectivism. A moderate view of collectivism is compatible with Scripture. The Bible presents a positive view of collectivism, yet it also powerfully speaks to the value of the individual. As with any human philosophy, that idea can be used for good or turned into an excuse for abuse.
In other words, collectivism says the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Collectivism is an approach to decision-making that presumes benefits for a group are more important than benefits for an individual.
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