I have chosen my weapon...CAPITALISM A very dear, very long time friend, when I revealed my plans for this site (and hopefully- Movement) and showed the title page, responded "...and there is a very dangerous word there." Not surprised by her astute reponse but unwilling to assume her meaning; I asked "What do mean, Kay?" She is 86 years old and not tired of straightening out young smart guys like me.
"Capitalist, not the idea, the word."
I struggled but couldn't better her statement. BUT THERE'S MORE.
What is wrong with havinga "DANGEROUS" WEAPON? CAPITALISM - THE IDEA?
What is wrong with havinga "DANGEROUS" WEAPON? CAPITALISM - THE HISTORY?
What about the Power ofthe Triangle of Free Enterprise - Property Rights, Free Markets and Capitalism?
What about Innovation
Thanks Kay for reminding us it is a Battle; a Dangerous Battle.
History- again Governor William Bradford -again - History of Plymouth Plantation pp146 : "All this whille no supply (of corn, food or materials for survival) was heard of, neither knew they when they might expect any." The 52 survivors of Plymouth... " So thet began to thinke how they might raise as much corne as they could, and obtaine a beter crope then they had done, that might not still thus languish in miserie." Innovatation
"At length, after much debate of things, the Govr (with the advise of the cheefest among them) gave way that they should set corne every man for his owne perticuler, and in that regard trust to themselves."
Capitalism "...And so assigned to every family a parcell of land..."
Property Rights. " This had very good success; for it made all hands industious, so as much more corne was planted than other waise would have bene by any means the Govr or any other could use, and saved a great deall of trouble and gave farr better contente."
Free Markets ..."which before would aleg weaknes, and inabilitie; whom to have compelled would have bene thought great tirani"The women now went willingly into the field, and tooke their litle-ons with them to set corne,e and oppresion." Family Farm "The experience that was had in this commone course and condition, tried sundrie years, and that amongst godly and sober men," Moral Self Interest "may well evince the vanitie of that conceite of Plato and other ancients, applauded by some of later times; -that taking away of propertie and bringinging in communitie into common wealth, would make them happy and flourishing; as if they were God. Commune-ism and Property Rights
MAY BE THE BEGINNING OF SELF RULE
"... For this communitie (so far as it was) was found to breed much confusion and discontent, and retard much imployment which would have been to their benefite and comforte. For the yong men that wer most able and fitte for labour and service did repine that should spend their time an streingth to work for other mens wives and children without recompence. The strong man of parts had no more divisson of victails, cloathes, then he that were weak and not able to doe a quarter the other could; this was thought injuestice . The aged and graver men to be ranked and equalised in labors and cloathes, etc, with the meaner and yonger sorte, thought it some indignite and disrespect unto them. ...wives ...deemed it a kind of slaverie." Welfare
...Upon the poynte all being alike, and all to doe alike, they thought themselves inthe like condition and one as good as another; and so, if it did not cut of those relations that God hath set amongst men, yet it did at least much diminish and take of the mutuall respects amongst them." [sic] Equal Results not Equal Opportunity!
Summary: In more than 400 pages of manuscript covering 40 years of Mayflower and Plymouth history; Governor Bradford writes 2 paragraphs that capture the birth of American Exceptionalism; Innovation, Capitalism, Property Rights, Free Markets, Family Farms, Moral Self Interest, Self Rule; while at the same time rejecting commune-ism, welfare and social justice.
Don't Agree? Find my conclusions like the media's "parcing" of Bill Clinton's confession? Try Me!
Agree? Buy something...a coffee mug, a tea shirt, a book, my daughter's broken down Subaru; I am a capitalist after all.
