Thursday, November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving - Reflection on Pilgrims & Collectivism
Many do not realize that the collectivist ideology (socialism/ communism) is as old in America, as Plymouth Rock! The Pilgrims attempted to build their dream land using communist principles (imposed on them by capitalist investors, who feared the Pilgrims would have too much private greed and thus eat away at their profits).
Here is a section taken from William Bradford himself, who was elected as their governor more than 30 times. This is from “Of Plymouth Plantation“:
“For the young men, that were most able and fit for labour and service, did repine that they should spend their time and strength to work for other men’s wives and children without any recompense. The strong, or man of parts, had no more in division of victuals and clothes that he that was weak and not able to do a quarter the other could; this was thought injustice. The aged and graver men to be ranked and equalized in labours and victuals, clothes, etc., with the meaner and younger sort, thought it some in dignity and disrespect unto them. And for men’s wives to be commended to do service for other men, as dressing their meat washing their clothes, etc., they deemed it to be a kind of slavery, neither could many husbands well book it.“
So Bradford saw what was happening, that the people “languish in misery”, and he decided to give them each land for their own private use as they saw fit. He then wrote that this “ made all hands very industrious”. He went on, “ the women now went willingly in the field, and took their little ones with them to set corn; which before would allege weakness and inability; whom to have compelled would have been thought great tyranny and oppression.“
Bradford concluded, “ The experience that was had in this common men, may well evince the vanity of that conceit of Plato’s and other ancients applauded by some later times; that the taking away of property and bringing in community into a commonwealth would make them happy and flourishing ; as if they were wiser than God.
Human beings are created to be individuals with freedom and choice, not to be part of a collective.