Colonists tried collectivism, nearly starving to death, prior to comprehending private incentive
The lesson of Thanksgiving: private property is best
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 -- Bio and
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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.
