By now my regular readers will be aware that I'm a new citizen of the United States (I promise I won't say that after January 1!) and as such I like to investigate the real history of our nation.
So we all know the traditional story of the original Thanksgiving, but it was a bit too perfect for me to accept on face value.
And so I decided to dig a little. And if you are going to really dig into that time, then you have to read the written account by William Bradford - the first Governor of the colony.
You see William wrote a book on the first 30 years of the colony known as "Of Plymouth Plantation". Simplistically the real story is this. Everyone worked the fields and the harvest and everything that was taken was put into a central store and all members of the colony could take what they needed from the store. Not a shock to me that this didn't work. You see what happened was that the lazy realized that they didn't have to do anything. They could sit back and live off the labors of others. And those doing the laboring were not at all happy about it and overall it simply didn't work. There was not enough food to go around. And Bradford realized this too - the slackers wanted to take but not to give. And they system meant they didn't have to.
And so William Bradford as Governor changed things. He gave each family their own piece of land an they could keep everything they needed from that piece of land and then - and only then - if there was anything left over, they could contribute it to a general store (we call this charity today). And once the success had been achieved, the Indians were invited over for some food. So to recap, Socialism failed and people went hungry. Capitalism replaced it and was a huge success. Liberals want to take us back to Socialism! Why is it so hard for the people of this country of all the countries in the world to get it?
What follows are the original words in case you think I'm making this up. The language is a little difficult to get through, but the message is clear. And if we knew this in the 1600s, then when did we forget it?
All this while no supply was heard of, neither knew they when they might expect any. So they began to think how they might raise as much corn as they could, and obtain a better crop than they had done, that they might not still thus languish in misery. At length, after much debate of things, the Governor (with the advice of the chiefest amongst them) gave way that they should set corn every man for his own particular, and in that regard trust to themselves; in all other thing to go on in the general way as before. And so assigned to every family a parcel of land, according to the proportion of their number, for that end, only for present use (but made no division for inheritance) and ranged all boys and youth under some family. This had very good success, for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been by any means the Governor or any other could use, and saved him a great deal of trouble, and gave far better content. The women now went willingly into 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.
The experience that was had in this common course and condition, tried sundry years and that amongst godly and sober men, may well evince the vanity of that conceit of Plato's and other ancients applauded by some of later times; and 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. For this community (so far as it was) was found to breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort. For the young men, that were most able and fit for labor 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 than 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 labors and victuals, clothes etc., with the meaner and younger sort, thought it some indignity and disrespect unto them. And for men's wives to be commanded to do service for other men, as dressing their meat, washing their clothes, etc., they deemed it a kind of slavery, neither could many husbands well brook it. Upon the point all being to have alike, and all to do alike, they thought themselves in the like condition, and one as good as another; and so, if it did not cut off those relations that God hath set amongst men, yet it did at least much diminish and take off the mutual respects that should be preserved amongst them. And would have been worse if they had been men of another condition. Let none object this is men's corruption, and nothing to the course itself. I answer, seeing all men have this corruption in them, God in His wisdom saw another course fitter for them.
So with all of this in mind, it just leaves me to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Don't eat too much and please do remember those less fortunate than you.
Image courtesy everythingflex.com
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(Copyright © 2008 By Simon L Conway All Rights Reserved.)
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