Not even the Pilgrims could make socialism work

Vladimir Lenin wrote in his Letter to American Workers that “The history of modern, civilized America opened with one of those great, really liberating, really revolutionary wars of which there have been so few.” It is unfortunate that socialists now disdain American history, because there is a socialist experiment to be found early on that they can learn from. It is even connected to a group of people every American knows about: the Pilgrims.William Bradford, who was one of the Mayflower’s passengers and one of Plymouth’s original governors, wrote a history of their endeavors originally titled Of Plymouth Plantation. Arriving in the New World, the Pilgrim leadership chose to begin an experiment in communal living. They abolished private property and replaced it with the utopian socialist model. Read here Bradford’s eyewitness account of its result: Recommended Stories “Community of property was found to breed much confusion and discontent, and retard much employment which would have been to the general benefit and comfort. For the young men who were most able and fit for service objected to being forced to spend their time and strength in working for other men’s wives and children, without any recompense… As for men’s wives who were obliged to do service for other men, such as cooking, washing their clothes, etc., they considered it a kind of slavery.” Eventually the leaders decided to revive private property ownership and permitted residents to each work their own plots and for their own families. The result was a complete turnaround. Read Bradford’s account again:“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… 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.”OK, maybe there is a good reason for American socialists to shun our history: It proves repeatedly that their systems don’t work — and ours do.Bradford concluded that their failure disproved theories that society would be better off if private property ownership were removed. The episode was a clear instance of an important concept that blows up the socialist theory: the tragedy of the commons.The tragedy of the commons posits that that which is publicly controlled is worse off than that which is privately controlled. If you reflect upon what comes into your mind when you compare public and private schools, chances are you already have a conception of this.SOCIALISM REACHES HIGHEST APPROVAL RATING YET: POLLThe tragedy of the commons accurately reflects reality because we humans are inherently self-interested. We will care better for things we do not share with others. What we share, we expect the others to handle instead. We seek to minimize labor and maximize enjoyment on our own parts. Capitalist thinking accepts this as axiomatic. Socialist thinking does not, which is why it expects people to act without direct incentive.Both Election Day and Thanksgiving are coming up. Americans should endeavor not to repeat socialist experiments again and give thanks that we don’t live under one now.