RELEVANT HISTORY: The Pilgrims Abandoned Socialism. Shouldn’t We?
While reading a book about the Pilgrims to my son (age 5) recently, I discovered that Plymouth Plantation was set up as a socialist/communist society. What?! This information was news to me. Not one history professor or high school teacher ever mentioned this. I was always told they came for religious freedom, but I never remember anyone teaching that the colony was run in a socialist fashion when it was birthed. And trust me, I was a good student. I didn’t miss this part of class because I was sleeping.
The best I can tell from the reading I’ve done since this shocking discovery, this is indeed true. At the colony’s inception, everything was put into a common pool and then distributed evenly. The reasoning for this is connected to the company that sponsored their journey to the New World, and this part of our history does not seem to be in debate.
What is in debate is whether this lifestyle was the cause of their near extinction in the beginning. Did they almost starve to death because of a lack of motivation and hard work? Was the plan always to abandon this worldview, or were they genuinely experimenting with a communist lifestyle?
In my way of thinking, these questions are not fully relevant. Had communism in the New World been working, had it been a huge success, had everyone been working with great motivation, had everyone seen great value in this way of life, they would have continued in their prosperity. But they didn’t. They abandoned the way of life. Personal property was distributed and then everyone was able to keep what they produced. The colony began to improve, the colonists began to work harder, and today we are now enjoying the fruits of their labors.
The real question for me is, “Why is this information and even the debate over this part of our history withheld from the classroom?” The best I can figure, this practice fits right in with the liberal agenda to make America communist.
I don’t know anyone that doesn’t have great respect for the Pilgrims. I mean, who wouldn’t respect a group of individuals who suffered so much to follow their personal convictions. Whether you are liberal or conservative, everyone can appreciate the immense struggle these families endured in order to pursue their dreams. So it seems natural for those who are shoving communism down our throats to hide the fact that these brave men and women tried it and abandoned it.
If more American’s understood this, then perhaps more American’s would whole heartedly resist the liberal agenda. You can bet that I’ll make sure my children understand this important part of our nation’s history. And for those of you with children in public school, if you want your children to learn the truth, it is your job to teach them since you know that the schools in America no longer have any interest in such things.
Image: http://tenglish11.wikispaces.com/The+views+of+a+1700’s+Colonist
