Being
a descendent of four lines to the Mayflower, we concur completely with author Rich. Sadly, much of this communistic idealism still prevails widely throughout New England today. Let's end on a polite note by concluding that 'America's pilgrims were not libertarian'. Although let's be fair: they learned quickly to make a real change - a decision that has not carried forward to their descendents.
By Howard Rich
|| The Separatist Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock in November 1620
began their new settlement utilizing overtly communist economic
principles. In addition to common ownership of the land, the Pilgrims
farmed corn on a communal plot and divided their harvest evenly amongst
themselves.
This is the theoretical Marxist utopia — minus indoor plumbing, NPR, MSNBC and portable electronic devices powered by Solyndra solar panels, naturally. But did this early communist experiment work? Did it succeed at putting food on the table?
Not according to William Bradford, an early Pilgrim governor of the colony best known today as the “Father of Thanksgiving.”
The communal arrangement initially employed by the Pilgrims was “found to breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort,” Bradford wrote in his journal, which was later compiled into Of Plymouth Plantation.
Why did this arrangement fail? Because as has been the case from time immemorial, the equitable division of inequitably produced assets did not sit well with those whose labors yielded the harvest. Continued>> A Thanksgiving Lesson - FITSNews
WHAT THE PILGRIMS CAN TEACH US
Howard Rich
By Howard Rich
|| The Separatist Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock in November 1620
began their new settlement utilizing overtly communist economic
principles. In addition to common ownership of the land, the Pilgrims
farmed corn on a communal plot and divided their harvest evenly amongst
themselves.This is the theoretical Marxist utopia — minus indoor plumbing, NPR, MSNBC and portable electronic devices powered by Solyndra solar panels, naturally. But did this early communist experiment work? Did it succeed at putting food on the table?
Not according to William Bradford, an early Pilgrim governor of the colony best known today as the “Father of Thanksgiving.”
The communal arrangement initially employed by the Pilgrims was “found to breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort,” Bradford wrote in his journal, which was later compiled into Of Plymouth Plantation.
Why did this arrangement fail? Because as has been the case from time immemorial, the equitable division of inequitably produced assets did not sit well with those whose labors yielded the harvest. Continued>> A Thanksgiving Lesson - FITSNews
