What saved the pilgrims?

Several months ago I came across this story depicting what occurred during the settlement of the first colony in America. It made me stop and think, although the introduction of corn to the settlers was crucial to their survival, free enterprise truly saved them.

On November 11, 1620, the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock. The ship lay at anchor until March, the pilgrims living onboard while permanent housing was being built. When the Mayflower finally left, 27 adults and 23 children were left of the 102 people who set out across the ocean. Their governor was William Bradford and under his leadership, these first Americans began to make a new life in the New World.

What very few Americans today know is this very first colony on the shores of America started out as a socialist colony. The Pilgrims at Plymouth set up a common store that worked on the principle of “From Each According To His Ability – To Each According To His Need”. Everything that the colony produced was placed in the common store and was then distributed out as needed.

For two years the colony worked to create a socialist Utopia but even with an additional 30 settlers who arrived a year after the Mayflower, the colony barely survived. Each winter the colonist would go hungry being reduced to rations of a quarter pound of bread at times. Governor Bradford relates his experiences concerning the socialist state he had helped to create:

“The experience that was had in this common course and condition, tired sundrie 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; –that the taking away of property, and bringing in community into a common wealth 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, with out any recompense. The strong, or man of parts, had no more in division of victuals and cloths, 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, cloths, 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 cloths, etc., they deemed it a kind of slavery, neither could many husbands well brook it. ”

Finally, in 1623, Governor Bradford called a meeting to discuss how to have a more productive growing season and be better prepared for the next winter. Governor Bradford writes:

“All this while no supply was heard of, neither knew when they might expect any. So they [the pilgrims] began to think how they might raise as much cron 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 Gov. (with the advise of the cheefest amongst them) gave way that they should set down every man for his own particular, and in that regard trust to themselves… And so assigned to every family a parcel of land. This had very good success; for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than other ways would have been by any means the Gov. 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 inabilities; whom to have compelled would have been thought great tyranny and oppression.”

It was at this meeting between Governor Bradford and the chief members of the colony that the American free enterprise system was born. Governor Bradford writes about the results of this system:

“By this time harvest was come, and instead of famine, now God gave them plenty, and the face of things was changed, to the rejoicing of the hearts of many, for which they blessed God. And in the effect of their particular planting was well seen, for all had, one way and other, pretty well to bring the year about, and some of the abler sort and more industrious had to spare, and sell to others, 50 as any general want of famine hath not been amongst them since to this day.”

This little known failed experiment in American socialism isn’t taught in today’s schools. If it was, our children might grow up to doubt governmental programs that redistribute wealth “from each according to his ability – too each according to his need.”

Source: William Bradford, History of Plymouth Plantation, 1620-1647

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 at 9:11 pm and is filed under Donn's Comments. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.