How Socialism Nearly Killed The Pilgrims
Land was held in common -- until it wasn't.
Lawrence W. Reed writes at FEE that the first few years for the Pilgrims of the Plymouth colony (in what is now America) were fraught with hardship and hunger and economics had a lot to do with it:
The Plymouth colony was headed straight for oblivion under a communal, socialist plan but saved itself when it embraced something very different.In the diary of the colony's first governor, William Bradford, we can read about the settlers' initial arrangement: Land was held in common. Crops were brought to a common storehouse and distributed equally. For two years, every person had to work for everybody else (the community), not for themselves as individuals or families. Did they live happily ever after in this socialist utopia?
Hardly. The "common property" approach killed off about half the settlers. Governor Bradford recorded in his diary that everybody was happy to claim their equal share of production, but production only shrank. Slackers showed up late for work in the fields, and the hard workers resented it. It's called "human nature."
The disincentives of the socialist scheme bred impoverishment and conflict until, facing starvation and extinction, Bradford altered the system. He divided common property into private plots, and the new owners could produce what they wanted and then keep or trade it freely.
Communal socialist failure was transformed into private property/capitalist success, something that's happened so often historically it's almost monotonous. The "people over profits" mentality produced fewer people until profit--earned as a result of one's care for his own property and his desire for improvement--saved the people.
I think there's a sparkly unicorns and butterflies sort of thinking amongst people who give a thumbs up to systems that forcibly pass one person's wealth onto others. This is theft, and it has been the source of vast human suffering.
You can do the most for other people, as Adam Smith pointed out, through following your own self-interest and creating prosperity. When there are disincentives for that, everybody loses -- often in deadly ways.
Collectivism has never worked anywhere, or anywhen, it has been tried, whether it called itself socialism, communism, fascism, or any other -ism.
Conan the Grammarian at November 26, 2019 4:12 AM
No one in our culture argues that wealth needs to created... Everyone dreams of having Bill Gates pay their medical expenses.
Crid at November 26, 2019 5:59 AM
Bernie's soul isn't built around a love for fairness... That man is obsessed with envy.
Crid at November 26, 2019 6:00 AM
"That man is obsessed with envy."
That's pretty much what socialism is, isn't it? An appeal to the envious. That's why it is often so popular with the young -- they are just starting out in life and they haven't had much time to build wealth, so a promise to take from those who have more resonates with them. Look at our young people today -- so many of them have diminished ability to produce wealth due to mal-parenting and mal-education. From that perspective, it isn't too much of a surprise that they are going all in for socialist schemes that promise the moon, without any of the complicated rocket-building stuff.
Cousin Dave at November 26, 2019 6:29 AM
This is the story that I was taught about the Pilgrims.
However, I don't think it is widely taught that way any more. (Clearly, I'm an "OK, Boomer")
Just a few years ago I was watching a PBS show about the Pilgrims and the show was using the lack of production to demonstrate that was how slavery got started in the new world. WTF?!
Talk about "revisionism" in history. And those who are in favor of socialism still revise history to their liking, ignoring the truth at the peril of others.
charles at November 26, 2019 8:58 AM
With the young it is also that they have been living off of others (Parents and taxpayers) for all their needs without the need for them to contribute. Just improve themselves. (School / college). They don’t see why that should ever change. They’ve can keep improving by entering activism improving themselves and the world, doing the actual work is for the peons.
Joe j at November 26, 2019 9:08 AM
Same thing happened at Jamestown, only worse.
The Pilgrims had it easier because the climate was less deadly.
Isab at November 26, 2019 11:27 AM
People want to "do good". They no longer see working as doing good so they try to turn their job woke. In fact, if you work hard you can support yourself and your family without needing handouts (ie without stealing from others via taxes). I have contracted out work to others, found jobs for people, and helped those in financial trouble all because I worked hard and had a job.
Joe J. is absolutely right about the young. In college all your needs are taken care of. College not only provides health care but entertainment too. The foolish among the young didn't even bother to keep expenses down--they just borrowed a ton of $. A bad habit to get used to.
cc at November 26, 2019 11:37 AM
> That's pretty much what socialism
> is, isn't it? An appeal to the
> envious.
That's is an incredibly important point.
Years ago I read an article about some kind of con artist. And he said the trick of Ponzi schemes is that "The mark has to *want* to be taken. Meaning that the person who is being scammed has to believe that they're pulling a fast one of some kind... That they're getting a better price than than the small ones who are not attuned to some secret (if imaginary) insight.
That's why I never felt any sympathy for any of Bernie Madoff's victims-- INCLUDING Elie Wiesel. None of those people thought they were getting rich by being nice to those around them.
Knowing that secret about the techniques of the con have protected me for about 30 years and hundreds or maybe thousands of circumstances. Including dating.
Crid at November 26, 2019 6:09 PM
Deplorables who listen to Rush Limbaugh know this story well - - he tells it during Thanksgiving week each year. So at least half of the country - - the rural part that listens to talk radio - - is aware of this bit of history that is rarely taught in schools. Think about why that is.
Robert Evans at November 26, 2019 11:18 PM
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