Patriots, with apologies for pulling you away from the turkey, I proffer a lesson from Thanksgivings past. John Stossel, good man that he is, relates how the colonists tried collectivism, nearly starving to death, prior to comprehending private incentive. Sayeth he:
If individuals can take from a common pot regardless of how much they put in, each person has an incentive to be a free-rider, to do as little as possible because what one fails to take will be taken by someone else. Soon, the pot is empty.
What private property does – as the Pilgrims discovered –is connect effort to reward, creating an incentive for people to produce far more. Then, if there’s a free market, people will trade their surpluses to others for the things they lack. Mutual exchange for mutual benefit makes the community richer.
A wise man, John. May you enjoy his writing as much as your drumsticks! And keep looking forward as we build on the past.
Greg Halvorson is an island of conservative clarity in the liberal armpit of Portlandia, Oregon. He regularly drives liberals berserk at The Conservative Hammer Facebook page. His Twitter handle is @GHalv.
