How Private Property Saved the Pilgrims

Hoover Digest ^ | January 30, 1999 | Tom Bethell

[FreeKeys]

Also see: Giving Thanks for Capitalism, The Invisible Hand, the Miracle of the Free Market and No Turkey Czars

[FreeKeys]

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

[Texas Eagle]

Historian George Langdon argues that the condition of early Plymouth was not “communism” but “an extreme form of exploitative capitalism in which all the fruits of men’s labor were shipped across the seas.”

Uhhhhhh....exactly how is that different from Communism.

No matter. I'm stealing it. From now on, Communism = Exploitative Capitalism.

Just as Urkel is engaging in Crony Socialism.

[FreeKeys]

Historian George Langdon argues that the condition of early Plymouth was not “communism” but “an extreme form of exploitative capitalism in which all the fruits of men’s labor were shipped across the seas.”

Yes, but Bethell goes on,

"In this he echoes Samuel Eliot Morison, who claims that 'it was not communism . . . but a very degrading and onerous slavery to the English capitalists that was somewhat softened.' Notice that this does not agree with the dissension that Bradford reports, however. It was between the colonists themselves that the conflicts arose, not between the colonists and the investors in London. Morison and Langdon conflate two separate problems. On the one hand, it is true that the colonists did feel “exploited” by the investors because they were eventually expected to surrender to them an undue portion of the wealth they were trying to create. It is as though they felt that they were being “taxed” too highly by their investors—at a 50 percent rate, in fact.

"But there was another problem, separate from the “tax” burden. Bradford’s comments make it clear that common ownership demoralized the community far more than the tax. It was not Pilgrims laboring for investors that caused so much distress but Pilgrims laboring for other Pilgrims. Common property gave rise to internecine conflicts that were much more serious than the transatlantic ones. The industrious (in Plymouth) were forced to subsidize the slackers (in Plymouth)."

[RegulatorCountry]

The Mayflower arrived at Cape Cod in November 1620

The Mayflower blundered into Cape Cod after getting lost on their way to ... Virginia.

[BitWielder1]

Knowing that the fruits of his labor would benefit his own family and dependents,...

That's why communism only works in small groups where everybody know each other and layabouts are not tolerated.
On a larger scale, too many are slinking away from work, only to be seen at feeding time.
Applied to a whole country or world, failure is inevitable.

[Tribune7]

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Dittos!!

[stormer]

+1 - and in the context of property ownership and land use, I also find it interesting that in this piece there is exactly one reference to the people living there prior to the Mayflower's arrival...

[Jack Hydrazine]

The Pilgrims and Property Rights: How our ancestors got fat & happy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66QdQErc8JQ

[Texas Eagle]

Bradford’s comments make it clear that common ownership demoralized the community far more than the tax. It was not Pilgrims laboring for investors that caused so much distress but Pilgrims laboring for other Pilgrims.

Exactly. Deadbeats got food, drink, clothing and shelter without working for it.

[turducken]

And the scum in the Kelo decision negated this blessing of private property.

[FreeKeys]

The Pilgrims and Property Rights: How our ancestors got fat & happy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66QdQErc8JQ

Thanks, Jack!

Check this out too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igdCrePWTF4

[Jack Hydrazine]

Other great links.

http://goldwaterinstitute.org/blog/pilgrims-failed-experiment-communism

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2011/11/23/the_real_story_of_thanksgiving

http://freedomkeys.com/thanksgiving.htm

Good reading! Forward to your friends!

[PGalt]

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

(When do we get to knock the stuffing out of the turkeys in Congress?...c’mon 2012)

[strongbow]

Just goes to show that even Christians can (and are) corrupted by collectivism. This social gospel is not.

[haroldeveryman]

Megadittoes

[Tzimisce]

For later

[the invisib1e hand]

“common ownership” — or the reality that it describes, which isn’t common “ownership” at all, is onerous. so is the inevitable concentration of wealth in relatively few hands that laissez faire inevitably brings about.

[FreeKeys]

“common ownership” — or the reality that it describes, which isn’t common “ownership” at all, is onerous. so is the inevitable concentration of wealth in relatively few hands that laissez faire inevitably brings about.

I think the concentration of wealth in relatively few hands is far more likely under fascism (or, if you prefer, "crony capitalism") -- or any other kind of collectivism for that matter -- in which politicians grant and protect monopolies and/or mafias.

[FreeKeys]

Excerpts from Gov. William Brandford's journal:

                                                click here for an enlargement

 

This mention of a day of giving thanks was placed in the year  1623, although written later.

More comments on the success of "particular" (private) planting,  apparently on or near page 104 of the original.  This page, placed  in the1623 portion of the journal, came before the report of the  sailing of the Anne, which left on September 10th, 1623.