Many Americans might be surprised to learn that each of the early English colonies were sent with supplies and a charter that defined what they would do, so as to insure a return on investment (ROI) for the shareholders that paid for their passage, and supplied their effort.
Similar to all the rest, the Pilgrims at Plymouth were under a "socialist charter" (under the Massachusetts Bay Company,) in 1620, which required them to all work for the value of return to the stockholders. They were to work as if employees of the company, and each would take a share of what was produced, after the company requirements were met. Their only motivation was getting there alive, and surviving till the next supply ship arrived. They almost starved trying to do things that way.
Colony Governor, William Bradford, instituted an historic change that was to ensure the success of the colony, and changed American history. Each man in the colony that had survived till then (along with whatever family he had left) was given an equal share of the land and resources, and a different tack was attempted, seeing the other one nearly caused their total failure and death.
Each signed in agreement to the new rules, and worked toward their goals from a direction that had not be attempted in such situations before. They abandoned the socialist ideas of how their agriculture would be produced, and started private planting practices. They established this change after they were there long enough to see they were all destined to starve the way things were established before.
Here are Governor Bradford's own words about what they did from original documents:
After that, there was always a bountiful harvest and plenty of return to the investors. In addition, the colonist had extra produce (often the "cash crop" of tobacco) to trade, and enriched their situation.
This is, also, the basis of the only truly American holiday, Thanksgiving Day. More to come on that, but that was, ALSO, different than we were likely told in school.
An earlier settlement in Virginia was required to have a day of thanksgiving to God upon their safe arrival in the New World. This they did, but the Thanksgiving Day celebration in Plymouth, a couple years later, was motivated in a different way, and had the connotation we attribute to our Truly American Holiday.
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To explain the odd input in the Governor's nearly 400 year old quote, it is important to note that the insult to the mentally handicapped that has been used in the last 50 to 75 years was NOT the meaning of his phrase. He was discussing something that impeded the progress of work!
Automatic censorship of certain words or phrases prevents legitimate use of proper words in their proper context. I had trouble like this on another Christian site while quoting the words of the Apostle Paul from scripture!
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Similar to all the rest, the Pilgrims at Plymouth were under a "socialist charter" (under the Massachusetts Bay Company,) in 1620, which required them to all work for the value of return to the stockholders. They were to work as if employees of the company, and each would take a share of what was produced, after the company requirements were met. Their only motivation was getting there alive, and surviving till the next supply ship arrived. They almost starved trying to do things that way.
Colony Governor, William Bradford, instituted an historic change that was to ensure the success of the colony, and changed American history. Each man in the colony that had survived till then (along with whatever family he had left) was given an equal share of the land and resources, and a different tack was attempted, seeing the other one nearly caused their total failure and death.
Each signed in agreement to the new rules, and worked toward their goals from a direction that had not be attempted in such situations before. They abandoned the socialist ideas of how their agriculture would be produced, and started private planting practices. They established this change after they were there long enough to see they were all destined to starve the way things were established before.
Here are Governor Bradford's own words about what they did from original documents:
"This was very successful. It made all hands very industrious, so that much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been by any means the Governor or any other could devise, and saved him a great deal of trouble, and gave far better satisfaction. The women now went willingly into the field, and took their little ones with them to plant corn, while before they would allege weakness and inability; and to have compelled them would have been thought great tyranny and oppression.
The failure of this experiment of communal service, which was tried for several years, and by good and honest men, proves the emptiness of the theory of Plato and other ancients, applauded by some of later times--that the taking away of private property, and the possession of it in community, by a commonwealth, would make a state happy and flourishing; as if they were wiser than God. For in this instance, community of property (so far as it went) was found to breed much confusion and discontent and _r_e_t_a_r_d_ much employment which would have been to the general benefit and comfort."
Most of what we were taught in school leaves out this important turning event in that colony, the unique nature of the change, and the amazing result it produced. This is the birth of the American free enterprise system. The failure of this experiment of communal service, which was tried for several years, and by good and honest men, proves the emptiness of the theory of Plato and other ancients, applauded by some of later times--that the taking away of private property, and the possession of it in community, by a commonwealth, would make a state happy and flourishing; as if they were wiser than God. For in this instance, community of property (so far as it went) was found to breed much confusion and discontent and _r_e_t_a_r_d_ much employment which would have been to the general benefit and comfort."
After that, there was always a bountiful harvest and plenty of return to the investors. In addition, the colonist had extra produce (often the "cash crop" of tobacco) to trade, and enriched their situation.
This is, also, the basis of the only truly American holiday, Thanksgiving Day. More to come on that, but that was, ALSO, different than we were likely told in school.
An earlier settlement in Virginia was required to have a day of thanksgiving to God upon their safe arrival in the New World. This they did, but the Thanksgiving Day celebration in Plymouth, a couple years later, was motivated in a different way, and had the connotation we attribute to our Truly American Holiday.
- - - - - - -
To explain the odd input in the Governor's nearly 400 year old quote, it is important to note that the insult to the mentally handicapped that has been used in the last 50 to 75 years was NOT the meaning of his phrase. He was discussing something that impeded the progress of work!
Automatic censorship of certain words or phrases prevents legitimate use of proper words in their proper context. I had trouble like this on another Christian site while quoting the words of the Apostle Paul from scripture!
.
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