Sowell and the Pilgrims on Equal Shares

Equality of results, the demand that shares be equalized for those who have contributed to production, those who have abstained from production, and those who have hampered production, in addition to undermining the economic system’s ability to produce, is morally offensive.  (my paraphrase from Thomas Sowell, The Conflict of Visions, p. 92).  Look at the experience of our pilgrim progenitors (those who knew Sqanto and celebrated the first Thanksgiving) who tried, indeed believed their salvation required, an equal shares system:

“The experience that was had in this common course and condition, . . . 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 . . . 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. . .  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."

 ". . . At length, after much debate of things, the Governor . . . gave way that they should set corn every man for his own particular, and in that regard trust to themselves; . . . And so assigned to every family a parcel of land, according to the proportion of their number, . . . 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.”

The passages are from William Bradford, History of Plymouth Plantation, (http://mith.umd.edu//eada/html/display.php?docs=bradford_history.xml), paragraphs #217 then #216.