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THE PILGRIMS TRIED COMMUNISM – IT DIDN’T WORK
https://barbwire.com ^ | Nov 22 2017 | Bryan Fischer

Posted on 11/22/2017 6:02:47 AM PST by Beowulf9

When we point out that neither Socialism nor Communism have ever worked, its supporters simply smile indulgently and say, “Well, that’s just because the right people haven’t tried it yet.”

On that count, they are just plain wrong. Communism had its purest test in the earliest days of American history, and was an abysmal, abject, utter failure. And it was tried by a small group of people who were committed to each other, devoted to God, and were hard-working and industrious. If this crew couldn’t make it work, nobody’s ever going to make it work.

(Excerpt) Read more at barbwire.com ...


TOPICS: History; Politics; Religion; Society
KEYWORDS: communism; pilgrims; socialism; thanksgiving

1 posted on 11/22/2017 6:02:47 AM PST by Beowulf9
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To: Beowulf9

Interesting article.


2 posted on 11/22/2017 6:12:15 AM PST by LydiaLong
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To: Beowulf9

About 1848 the NYT began publishing weekly bits of Marx’s papers, and this continued for many years!
The NYT Editor at that time, a well-known, fanous even, “American”!

God knows how many more Americans read and were influenced by these “readings”!

I can think of at least one who surfaced during the years after that time!


3 posted on 11/22/2017 6:16:37 AM PST by gunnyg ("A Constitution changed from Freedom, can never be restored; Liberty, once lost, is lost forever...)
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To: LydiaLong

The descriptions I read in History classes as a kid always did make the pilgrim’s villages seem to operate like some kind of commune; That whole sort of outfit where everyone had things to contribute, or often many were told what they needed to contribute, but everyone shared alike, and I always wondered if it was really like that. I also wondered if there wasn’t a sort of division of power, where some where made to give more than others, and the decision makers of the group seemed to fare best, because that’s how things always seem to shake out, commune or not. I also wondered if people brooded, and did the bare minimum, and while everyone seemed to work, there was no zeal for innovation and growth... well... because that’s how it is when people think they’re working harder and sharing more than their commune neighbors.


4 posted on 11/22/2017 6:20:52 AM PST by z3n
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To: z3n

Rush did a great piece on this topic.


5 posted on 11/22/2017 6:22:52 AM PST by ConservativeWarrior (Fall down 7 times, stand up 8. - Japanese proverb)
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To: LydiaLong

Truth is very inconvenient to the communistic swampocrats who today rule over what’s left of the American Republic.


6 posted on 11/22/2017 6:26:56 AM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: Beowulf9

I would call what the Pilgrims tried communalism. It can work for small highly motivated groups for a short period of time but it never lasts. The early Christians, as described in the book of Acts, tried this.


7 posted on 11/22/2017 6:33:39 AM PST by circlecity
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To: z3n

The descriptions I read in History classes as a kid always did make the pilgrim’s villages seem to operate like some kind of commune; That whole sort of outfit where everyone had things to contribute, or often many were told what they needed to contribute, but everyone shared alike, and I always wondered if it was really like that. I also wondered if there wasn’t a sort of division of power, where some where made to give more than others, and the decision makers of the group seemed to fare best, because that’s how things always seem to shake out, commune or not. I also wondered if people brooded, and did the bare minimum, and while everyone seemed to work, there was no zeal for innovation and growth... well... because that’s how it is when people think they’re working harder and sharing more than their commune neighbors.
_____________________________

You can’t fight human nature. Humans aren’t like bees or ants who can mindlessly work for the good of the hive. Our intellect gives us the desire to accomplish and achieve individual worth. Progressives are always in denial about human nature.


8 posted on 11/22/2017 6:45:09 AM PST by LydiaLong
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To: LydiaLong

Don’t hear that tale too often.


9 posted on 11/22/2017 6:46:46 AM PST by rktman (Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?!)
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To: circlecity

I understand your point, and want to agree, but note that the pilgrims failed badly when they tried it, and note that the early Christians lived amid a strong capitalist system - showing that communalism really doesn’t work either.

The only form that does is tribalism, and that barely rises above bare subsistence.


10 posted on 11/22/2017 6:48:45 AM PST by ctdonath2 (It's not "white privilege", it's "Puritan work ethic". Behavior begets consequences.)
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To: LydiaLong

Liberals know communism doesn’t work...It opens up the agenda they do want...LORDS AND THEIR SERFS.....That’s their end game...That was communism in its purest form...Democrat,liberals progressives and socialists want THAT WORLD...Why???? They see themselves as the Lords and everyone else as their serf....True utopia on their part,living hell for everyone else....


11 posted on 11/22/2017 7:00:22 AM PST by Hambone 1934
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To: ctdonath2
"note that the early Christians lived amid a strong capitalist system"

That's a very good point. Although they were living together communally they were working in a capitalist system and also brought to the group the property and money they had already earned in the capitalist system.

12 posted on 11/22/2017 7:02:23 AM PST by circlecity
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To: circlecity
I would call what the Pilgrims tried communalism. It can work for small highly motivated groups for a short period of time but it never lasts. The early Christians, as described in the book of Acts, tried this.

The early Christian's practice was not communism because those who participated in it were allowed to take their contributed property back and leave "the system". Communism doesn't allow voluntary anything--force is its central mechanism.

In the Book of Acts a man and wife sold some property, but withheld part of the proceeds from the Apostles. When confronted by Peter he told the man (in essence) "...you could have taken your property out at anytime, but you have lied to God...". Both the man and his wife died as a consequence of that lie.

The Mormons tried their version of communalism in the late 1800's, calling it "The United Order". That plan failed for the reasons all other socialist experiments fail: Self Interest.

13 posted on 11/22/2017 7:02:32 AM PST by Auntie Dem (Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! Terrorist lovers gotta go!)
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To: Hambone 1934
That's their end game.... They see themselves as the Lords and everyone else as their serf....True utopia on their part,living hell for everyone else....

Exactly. They want to remove our weapons so they can't be threatened. They want to kill off most of the world's population so they can have more of the pie.

14 posted on 11/22/2017 7:31:19 AM PST by VaeVictis (~Woe to the Conquered~)
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To: Auntie Dem
"The early Christian's practice was not communism because those who participated in it were allowed to take their contributed property back and leave "the system". Communism doesn't allow voluntary anything--force is its central mechanism."

That was exactly my point which is why I called it communalism to differentiate it from communism - which is a totalitarian political/economic system.

15 posted on 11/22/2017 7:38:59 AM PST by circlecity
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To: circlecity
I would call what the Pilgrims tried communalism. It can work for small highly motivated groups for a short period of time but it never lasts.

It works in small groups because people are generally better at seeing that they need to contribute. Also, the smaller the group, the easier it is to notice who isn't pulling their fair share and punish accordingly.
16 posted on 11/22/2017 7:44:03 AM PST by Svartalfiar
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To: circlecity

As the Mensheviks, a subset of Bolsheviks, realized: communism only works when capitalism has created enough wealth to redistribute.


17 posted on 11/22/2017 11:47:57 AM PST by ctdonath2 (It's not "white privilege", it's "Puritan work ethic". Behavior begets consequences.)
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To: VaeVictis

As Scott Adams succinctly observed: the Left’s stance on gun control looks to the Right a lot like “get rid of your guns so we can shoot you.”


18 posted on 11/22/2017 11:49:02 AM PST by ctdonath2 (It's not "white privilege", it's "Puritan work ethic". Behavior begets consequences.)
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To: Beowulf9
The only scenarios where some form of socialism works is with the Israeli kibbutzes There was an article in Life from around 1950, a member of one of the kibbutzes was intervieswed. He said that "we're socialists, but by CHOICE". Anyone who realizes that lifestyle isn't for them is free to leave. Also co-op apartments, common in NYC and DC do, to a small extent have socialist characteristics. The residents own the building and the property it sits on. They don't "own" their apartments, instead a certain number of shares based on the size of their apt and what floor, in real estate the higher the floor the higher the value and the more shares allocated. The amount of shares owned determines how much the residents pay towards any mortgage on the property, maintenance, prop taxes, utilities (usually excluding electric) and other services. An elected bd. of directors collect the common charges and disburse the funds as needed, as well as setting the rules, with input from the residents, at least that's how it's SUPPOSED to work. In this case the prospective buyer can exercise due diligence and, unlike socialism can DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES if they want to live in such an environment BEFORE they close and sign the paperwork.
19 posted on 11/22/2017 1:36:19 PM PST by Impala64ssa (Islamophobic? NO! IslamABHORic)
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To: ctdonath2; vae_victus
Yep!

20 posted on 11/22/2017 1:39:38 PM PST by Impala64ssa (Islamophobic? NO! IslamABHORic)
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