System unique among nations, a system that has led the United States to the pinnacle in wealth and world leadership. This series of programs is being presented to help all of us understand our advantages under our american way of life. For todays topic, lets join now a group of young people at the National Education Program Workshop in circe, arkansas. At the classroom lectern of a noted young historian. The american adventure is an unusual designation for a course in economics and clinical science. The american way of life is rather unusual, there is nothing quite like it in all of the world. All of us want to know more about our country. What makes it tick, why is it the best place on earth . Why is it worth understanding, why is it worth saving . Why have wars been fought to protect it . During the 13 weeks of this course in the american adventure, our general purpose will be to answer many questions about the american way of life, and explore the workings of the American Economic and political system so that we may understand its significance and importance. Why should we bother to do this . In one generation, many of the nations of the world have become either socialist or communist, and advocates of both of these economic and political systems have determined to gain control of our country. Lets look at this map of the world. Here lives two and one quarter billion people who work and worship under all kinds of economic and political systems, from dictatorship to democracy, from collectivism to individualism. Now, lets see how socialism and communism have expanded since the end of the first world war. These dark areas are the nations that today live under communism or have adopted a considerable degree of socialism. Some of them are overrun and captured by russian communism. Some have drifted into or voted into being many fundamental aspects of socialism. The people were promised all sorts of material and economic benefits so they decided to try socialism. In some of our later classes, we are going to examine socialism with its promises and results. We are also shining the knowledge the spotlight of knowledge on communism and some of its tactics in america but in the beginning, lets just learn about the american system. Did you know the founders of america, when they came here from england seeking freedom meant a better way of life, established first a communal or collectivist Economic System . They did, both at jamestown and at plymouth rock. Lets look at the Plymouth Colony. In december 1620, 101 pilgrims from england reached the Atlantic Coast in the mayflower. Their primary purpose in risking the great hazards of an Atlantic Crossing for life in a primitive land was to gain religious freedom for themselves. They had no preconceived ideas about building a nation or a society or a system of economics. By common consent, the colonists Economic System was communal. The property was Community Property or public property, owned in effect by the colonys government. The people worked together at assigned tasks, shared and shared alike in the total production of the colony. It worked like this, there was a common storehouse. Each family brought all its produce of whatever kind to the storehouse. The government of the colony allocated the goods on the basis of equal shares. This was the christian spirit of sharing. Our forefathers were people a sickly motivated by christian principles. Many of them felt they could best progress under this communal economic arrangement and have full freedom also. They thought they had an ideal Economic System. Even among these dedicated christians, however, with a great measure of freedom, the theory of government ownership of property and communal living did not work in pratt this. A few of the less industrious in practice. A few of the less industrious colonists discovered that no matter how little they produced and carried to the common storehouse, they still received a share equal with their neighbors. They began to loaf, and shirk their duties. The industrious, seeing they were being made to support the slothful, began to slow down also. Well, as one family after another eased up on work and production of vegetables, grains and meats, the goods in the storehouse dwindled. In time, starvation threatened to wipe out the colony. The leaders of the colony the spirit despaired of their communal experiment. Instead of providing plenty for all, the collectivist system had produced only an equal distribution of poverty and stagnation instead of progress. Something had to be done to restore the energies of the colonists. Either a way must be found to stimulate work in production for the voluntary willingness of everyone or the colonists would have to resort to the type of coercive measures based on force which have been a part of Human History for thousands of years. The plymouth colonists did not want to force labor with police power. They believed freedom was a godly heritage for all mankind. They had fled from the old to the new world seeking this freedom. So when the communal or collectivist system carried them toward starvation, the communal leaders established a basic law of private property and the fundamental principle of selfreliance. Every ablebodied man was to become responsible for his family. The communityowned or governmentowned farmlands or ures would be parceled out for private ownership. People would Exchange Goods and services amongst themselves, according to their abilities and desires. The industrious and lazy alike would have to work or would suffer a selfinflicted penalty, one of hunger and disgrace. From this time forth, the people possessed their own property, thus plymouth was established this fundamental system of american philosophy as opposed to the system of socialism and communism. Did it change things for the better at the Plymouth Colony . It certainly did. The change in ownership and responsibility from government to the individual citizen marked the beginning of progress in the colony. It helped establish the foundation of the American Economic system. William bradford, governor of the Plymouth Colony, wrote in his diary that when the system of private ownership was established and selfreliance became the rule, the housewife came out of her kitchen and the children gave up some of their playtime to work in the fields so the family could produce more and have more. The fruit of their labor was theirs. No wonder they were willing to work. Who cant deny the power of that incentive, which is based on the rights of owning property and keeping the proceeds of ones labor. That happened at plymouth and also at jamestown 12 years earlier. Students of history will recall the colorful interludes at jamestown with such romantic characters as as captain john smith and pocahontas, the indian maid who saved his life from the anger of an indian chief. But so many people pass over the economic fact that a communal Economic System was established at jamestown, with a common storehouse and equal shares for all. It failed miserably, just as it did at plymouth. At jamestown, the people almost starved under the communal system and as at plymouth, the establishment of private property and individual responsibility, instead of Government Property and dependence on the common storehouse started the colony to success. Here is what captain john smith wrote in his diary after starvation had been averted at jamestown by the change to private ownership and individual selfreliance. When our people were fed out of the common storehouse and labored together some could slumber over his task, he cared not how. Presuming that howsoever the harvest prospered, the general store must maintain him. Even the most honest among them, wrote captain smith, would hardly take such pains in a week under the Public Ownership in and common storehouse system. Now for themselves they will do in a day, not that we reap so much corn from the labors of 30, as now three or four will provide for themselves. Both jamestown and Plymouth Colony, it was historically demonstrated that men will not work to the fullest of their capabilities without the incentive given through private ownership, the incentive of personal profit. And it was likewise demonstrated demonstrated beyond question and production falls even a most the most even among the most honest and christian people. The Lesson Learned from these examples is that the individuals right to own property, the spirit of selfreliance, and the presence of incentive, individual freedom and responsibility work for the good of all. Today, these principles are found in our Economic System, working for the benefit of all americans. As wesequent classes, consider other phases of our economic and political life, we will look at the dangers that threaten the continued existence of the principal of private ownership, posing such questions as, is the principle of ourate ownership without real realization of the danger . In therogress unmatched 6000 years of. Our consideration, arent they . And week shall consider them, but for now, class is dismissed. The american adventure series is a product of the national program, arkansas, dr. George benson director. In plymouth, harbor, england, the mayflower ii comes to life again
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