The traditional story about how
the pilgrims shared their bountiful harvest is pretty much a collectivist’s
fairy tale, a fable that distorts the truth.
The first few years the
pilgrims almost died out due to starvation. They would have except for two
things. First the Indians shared food to keep them alive. Second, they made
some changes to their compact.
The original agreement was a
socialist’s pipe dream in which everyone shared the labor as best they could, a
forerunner to the famous adage of from each according to his ability and to
each according to his need. It failed.
Everyone was to have been
working the same common field with everyone else — supposedly — doing their
fair share, while reaping his or her own ration. But laziness won out over
idealism, as happens with human nature when responsibilities are diffused.
Fewer people tilled the soil until only a few were working. The others were
feeding off the labor of others. Oops, not enough food.
The colony’s governor, William
Bradford, then changed the rules. The colony would honor the concept of property
rights. Instead of a common, colonists were given their own plots of land and
allowed to work their land as they so chose.
Bradford wrote in his diary:
“This had very good success for it made all hands very industrious, so as much
more corn was planted than otherwise would have been. … By this time harvest
was come, and instead of famine, now God gave them plenty, and the face of
things was changed, to the rejoicing of the hearts of many.”
Private property defeated the
tragedy of the commons. There were no guarantees of reward, but without effort
there would have been no reward at all and no bounty in 1623.
It was honoring the concept of
private property and allowing people to reap their own rewards and be
responsible for their own failures that turned 13 colonies into the most
industriously productive nation in the history of the planet.
People should be free to make
any voluntary association they choose, including the option of living
communally. However, no one should be forced to do so. Forced cooperation leads
to failure.
Just as the Plymouth colonists
saved themselves from starvation by employing the philosophy of private
property and rational self-interest, the U.S. can get out of its $15 trillion
debt the same way. As a nation we must mind our own business and put an end to
the welfare/warfare state. As individuals we must return to an attitude of
self-reliance, of relying on friends and family as opposed to being dependent
on government.
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading...
Comments