The American socialist experiment

Enter Stage Right ^ | September 2, 2002 | Charles F. Wickwire

[George Smiley]

This is an oldie but goodie.

Y'all don't overdose on tryptophan tomorrow, okay?

[Frank_2001]

Good post! Rush mentioned this on the radio today.

[phoenix0468]

Nice way to comine Thanksgiving history with proper socialism bashing. Happy Turkey Day!! Gobel Gobel!

[George Smiley]

Really?

Don't get to hear him at work unless circumstances dictate a road trip to one of the datacenters.

Great minds browse alike, hehehe.

I kept a copy of this when it first came out.

[Young Werther]

I attended an Honors Seminar in History during my undergraduate History program. It was entitled "19th Century Radical Thought." Not many people realize that the American Dream promises the freedom to try new things. So Socialist experiments mark our history and like other aspects of our ongoing experiment in Democracy we cast aside those things that DON'T WORK!

Have any Oneida flatware? The Oneida colony was a socialist experiment in upstate New York. Their communal theories failed the test of time but their industry/product carries on.

How about an Amana appliance in your kitchen. The Amana colony in Nebraska had the same pedigree.

Interestingly these communal experiements were also religious based unlike the European based socialist activists like Mazzini and Garibaldi!

[rlmorel]

Ahh. I thought this was about Vermont.

[MondoQueen]

Since Gov. Bradford is my 8th great-grandfather, I've got to say that we in the family still have the same political beliefs that the governor came to believe, and that is that Communism doesn't work!

[Praxeologue]

8th? You must mean 18th.

[o_zarkman44]

The Amana colony is in Iowa

[MondoQueen]

This is going to long and boring. My great grandmother was born in 1840. My gggrandfather was born in 1799. My ggggrandfather was born in 1760. My gggggrandfather was born in 1732. My ggggggrandfather was born in 1695. My gggggggrandmother was born in 1660. My ggggggggrandfather was born in 1624. That was the seventh greatgrandfather, and my eighth great grandfather, Wm. Bradford, was born in 1590. Whew!

[El Gato]

The Amana colony in Nebraska had the same pedigree.

Iowa.

[Fintan]

This little known failed experiment in American socialism isn't taught in today's schools.

Of course not. Here's the new hero:

[Young Werther]

They moved it when I wasn't looking!

[Plutarch]

You know, admirers of socialism are free to set up a utopian socialist community anywhere in America anytime they like.

No liberals ever take up the challenge, because you can't have socialism without a Government with guns and jails to force people to hand over their money and their freedom.

[sargon]

An excellent history lesson on the shortcomings of authoritarian collectivism, which is a Statist perversion of Christian doctrine.

IMHO, this is exactly the reason that Christ was not sent to establish His Kingdom on Earth...

Authoritarian "Christianity" can NEVER work.

If a state legislates (forces) Virtue on the part of its citizens, it is, quite simply, NOT Virtue. (see the modern writings of Dinesh D'Souza for more information)

Such collectivist dogma, whether well-meaning or not, is inherently Tyrannical.

Parenthetically, my Pilgrim ancestor (a grandfather) was one of the "strangers" (non-Puritans) who arrived with the Mayflower, one Stephen Hopkins.

[At a Later Date]

"This is going to long and boring. My great grandmother was born in 1840. My gggrandfather was born in 1799. My ggggrandfather was born in 1760. My gggggrandfather was born in 1732. My ggggggrandfather was born in 1695. My gggggggrandmother was born in 1660. My ggggggggrandfather was born in 1624. That was the seventh greatgrandfather, and my eighth great grandfather, Wm. Bradford, was born in 1590. Whew!"

Not boring - very cool. You're lucky to be able to trace your family back that far. Must be fascinating. I've tried to trace my family but just ran into dead ends everywhere.

[singfreedom]

True enough. They all perceive themselves as the "ruling class"----like Orwell's "Animal Farm" (the PIGS).