by Kerry Thomas
November 9, 2005
With Thanksgiving fast
approaching, it appears a history lesson is in order again, especially in light
of Richard Moore’s
November 8 editorial, calling for a guaranteed national income.
The
lesson of Thanksgiving is a lesson in economics. It is a lesson in the triumph of capitalism over communism, a
practical lesson in survival, not just a theoretical debate between the two
economic concepts.
In
1620 the English Puritan Separatists (the Pilgrims) established the colony of New Plymouth. The history of the colony was chronicled by
Governor William Bradford in his book, History Of Plimouth Plantation. The Mayflower Compact was their
initial governing document, and placed their stores in communal trust for all
in the colony. All would share equally
both the land and the harvest.
In 1621 there was a
three-day feast with the Indians, but, as chronicled by colonist Edward
Winslow, it was more of a shooting party than a celebration. By 1623 it became clear to Governor Bradford
that the communal system was not working.
It was decided that each family would be assigned a plot of land, and
would be allowed to keep what each produced.
In the words of Governor Bradford "At last after much debate of
things, the governor gave way that they should set corn everyman for his own
particular…. That had very good success, for it made all hands very
industrious, so much more corn was planted than otherwise would have
been."
During the summer of 1623
there was a drought. The crops were
threatened, and the colonists held a "Day of Humiliation" and
prayer. The rains came and the harvest
was saved. Governor Bradford proclaimed
November 29, 1623, as a Day of Thanksgiving.
The lesson of the Pilgrims
is that it is proper for the fruits of the labor of each person and family to
belong to those who produced them. In
the words of Governor Bradford “The experience that has had in this common
course and condition, that amongst Godly and sober men, may well evince the
vanities of the conceit of Plato's and other ancients, applauded by some of
later times; that the taking away of propertie, and bringing into commone
wealth, would make them happy and flourishing, as if they were wiser than
God.” In other words, the communal
economic system would seem to be contrary to natural law.
It is said that those who
do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Richard Moore says our
society now functions from the top down, and calls for a change, to a “from the
bottom up” system. I have to say, I
agree. We’ve allowed our experiment in
self-governance to morph into a communal system, wherein the State uses the
threat of force to compel Citizens to follow the dictates of the State.
Between Rooosevelt’s New
Deal and Johnson’s Great Society, the War on Poverty has cost America trillions
of dollars. But we’ve also paid a high
price in terms of individual liberty and the ability of our citizens to achieve
their own dreams.
Let’s let capitalism and
individual drive, the natural yearning of the human spirit to be free to pursue
our individual dreams, propel America to new heights.
Capitalism and a Republican
form of governance put faith in the power of the individual to determine for
themselves the path in life they will pursue.
It is truly a “from the bottom up” system, complete with both risk and
reward for those who understand the natural yearnings of the human spirit.