Dr. Mercola December 05 2006 58,603 views
by Richard J. Marbury
Each year at this time school children all over America are taught the official Thanksgiving story, and newspapers, radio, TV, and magazines devote vast amounts of time and space to it. It is all very colorful and fascinating.
It is also very deceiving. This official story is nothing like what really happened. It is a fairy tale, a whitewashed and sanitized collection of half-truths, which divert attention away from Thanksgiving‘s real meaning.
The official story has the pilgrims boarding the Mayflower, coming to America and establishing the Plymouth colony in the winter of 1620-21. This first winter is hard, and half the colonists die. But the survivors are hard-working and tenacious, and they learn new farming techniques from the Indians. The harvest of 1621 is bountiful.
The Pilgrims hold a celebration, and give thanks to God. They are grateful for the wonderful new abundant land He has given them.
The official story then has the Pilgrims living more or less happily ever after, each year repeating the first Thanksgiving. Other early colonies also have hard times at first, but they soon prosper and adopt the annual tradition of giving thanks for this prosperous new land called America.
The problem with this official story is that the harvest of 1621 was not bountiful, nor were the colonists hard-working or tenacious. 1621 was a famine year and many of the colonists were lazy thieves.
In his History of Plymouth Plantation, the governor of the colony, William Bradford, reported that the colonists went hungry for years, because they refused to work in the fields. They preferred instead to steal food. He says the colony was riddled with "corruption," and with "confusion and discontent." The crops were small because "much was stolen both by night and day, before it became scarce eatable."
In the harvest feasts of 1621 and 1622, "all had their hungry bellies filled," but only briefly. The prevailing condition during those years was not the abundance the official story claims; it was famine and death. The first "Thanksgiving" was not so much a celebration as it was the last meal of condemned men.
But in subsequent years something changes. The harvest of 1623 was different. Suddenly, "instead of famine now God gave them plenty," Bradford wrote, "and the face of things was changed, to the rejoicing of the hearts of many, for which they blessed God." Thereafter, he wrote, "any general want or famine hath not been amongst them since to this day." In fact, in 1624, so much food was produced that the colonists were able to begin exporting corn.
What happened?
After the poor harvest of 1622, writes Bradford, "they began to think how they might raise as much corn as they could, and obtain a better crop." They began to question their form of economic organization.
This had required that "all profits & benefits that are got by trade, working, fishing, or any other means" were to be placed in the common stock of the colony, and that, "all such persons as are of this colony, are to have their meat, drink, apparel, and all provisions out of the common stock." A person was to put into the common stock all he could, and take out only what he needed.
This "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need" was an early form of socialism, and it is why the Pilgrims were starving. Bradford writes that "young men that are most able and fit for labor and service" complained about being forced to "spend their time and strength to work for other men‘s wives and children."
Also, "the strong, or man of parts, had no more in division of victuals and clothes, than he that was weak." So the young and strong refused to work, and the total amount of food produced was never adequate.
To rectify this situation, in 1623 Bradford abolished socialism. He gave each household a parcel of land and told them they could keep what they produced, or trade it away as they saw fit. In other words, he replaced socialism with a free market, and that was the end of famines.
Many early groups of colonists set up socialist states, all with the same terrible results. At Jamestown, established in 1607, out of every shipload of settlers that arrived, less than half would survive their first 12 months in America. Most of the work was being done by only one-fifth of the men, the other four-fifths choosing to be parasites. In the winter of 1609-10, called "The Starving Time," the population fell from 500 to 60.
Then the Jamestown colony was converted to a free market, and the results were every bit as dramatic as those at Plymouth. In 1614, Colony Secretary Ralph Hamor wrote that after the switch there was "plenty of food, which every man by his own industry may easily and doth procure." He said that when the socialist system had prevailed, "we reaped not so much corn from the labors of thirty men as three men have done for themselves now."
Before these free markets were established, the colonists had nothing for which to be thankful. They were in the same situation as Ethiopians are today, and for the same reasons. But after free markets were established, the resulting abundance was so dramatic that the annual Thanksgiving celebrations became common throughout the colonies, and in 1863, Thanksgiving became a national holiday.
Thus the real reason for Thanksgiving, deleted from the official story, is: Socialism does not work; the one and only source of abundance is free markets, and we thank God we live in a country where we can have them.
Pamphlet No. 1078, November, 2000
originally published in The Free Market, November, 1985by the Ludwig von Mises Institute
While Mr. Marbury's analysis of the Thanksgiving story is both insightful and interesting, I would issue a word of caution: in economics, as in health, moderation is often the key to success.
The same longing for personal wealth and prosperity that, at its best allowed the Pilgrims to survive, also resulted at its worst, in the death, forced resettlement, and social destruction of most of the original native population of the United States.
Free-market capitalism has led to some of the world's greatest inventions and most powerful societies. It has also led to rapacious corporations so driven by an eternal desire for money that they will do anything to increase their bottom line -- including, in the drug industry alone, inventing "new" diseases that they can pretend to cure, selling useless drugs, and hiding evidence that their products are killing people.
Socialism has in the past resulted in brutally repressive societies where individual freedom was sacrificed to the state. However, its principles also helped the United States recover from the devastating Great Depression, and have in many places helped widen the availability of education and health care.
Mercola.com is focused primarily on health care, not economics -- but it would be foolish to deny that economics play a pivotal role in modern health care.
As with so much else, the answer lies somewhere in the middle: neither with the unfettered greed of total free-market capitalism, nor with the oppressive overregulation that comes with complete state control. Individuals must be free to make choices and take responsibility for their own health, and regulations and watchdogs must exist to ensure that poisons are not being foisted on an unsuspecting populace.
The current, corrupted and conflicted medical paradigm usually swings too far in favor of allowing major multinational corporations get away with whatever they want. But in our efforts to swing it back the other way, we cannot lose sight of the fact that stifling medical invention by removing all incentive to innovate is not in our best interest either.
I am an American citizen, I vote and love nature. I also love my country and am saddened by the materialism and pollution that is here. I also believe in taking responsibiltiy of what God has given us by being informed on issues both political and environmentally. I am optimistic on America and believe we have more freedoms than all other countries combined. I also believe that leaders are especially held accountable and that God is in control of all things. Make sure you vote and before you do, that you check the track voting record of those of whom you are thinking of voting. I believe some people are listening to the wrong drummer and following the bandwagon and forgetting that honesty and integrity are most important. If someone thinks there will not be wars, they are highly misled. As long as there is evil in the world and selfishness, there WILL be fighting and discension. We do not all think the same, but if our values are to serve and please God, He will show us His ways through the Bible. Our leaders were given to us by voting and we need to either back them up, shut up, vote them in or out, or leave America. Our President was voted in and I believe in him.
IChronicles 29:11-12 says "Everything in the heavens and earth is yours, O lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as being in control of everything. Riches and honor come from you alone, and you are the Ruler of all mankind; your hand controls power and might, and it is at your discretion that men are made great and given strength."
God bless America!!! Thank HIM for all we have and are. God bless Dr. Mercola and you and that we can state our opinions and faith freely and not be condemned...and we can have differences.
Kristen
In response to skinnybunny, while I agree with you that God is in control of who is leading our country, I do believe that he holds us responsible to keep our eyes open and to be alert to what our leaders are doing. We are responsible to get our heads out of the sand, to start paying attention to what is really happening around us. Sometimes we have to sacrifice a little, put ourselves in a less comfortable possition in order to make a difference, alert those around us as to the truth about what is happening here in the U.S. and be a voice of change while we still can. I voted for Bush, believing he had our best interest at heart, but now I feel duped in having believed he cared to make a diffence. He allows our borders to remain wide open while we are hastled at the airport and deprived of many civil rights we once took for granted all in the name of preventing terrorism. It's a game and we need to know what the rules are. We should pay more attention to the little red flags we intuitively know are real concerns. Only then can we make inteligent choices. History proves that God allows calamity to come to corrupt governments. We can make a change only if we can see where the injustice is. People of the United States are still good people who want to help others and live just lives. We can protect that if we stand up and vote for those who also want to protect us and not deprive us of our rights or dominatethe world.
Lisageoff
We love your site, Dr. Mercola.
What I've understood about the Pilgrims is that they were a mixed bag of folks who came here - consisting of Puritans (who were religious and God-fearing folks who were friendly to the Indians) and non-religious folks who all abided by the Mayflower Compact. It wasn't until greedy Settlers came later in search of land and power that the Indians were treated injustly. Thanksgiving was about giving thanks to God for providing food- Here's an article on it: petermarshallministries.com/commentary.cfm They were celebrating a feast modeled after the Biblical feast of Tabernacles. Check also www.wallbuilders.com
As for free market verses Socialism, my wife was able to come here from Cuba when she was very small. I will assure you that it is a brutal dictatorship over there and the leadership has everything and the people have nothing. When Fidel took over the country he took my wife's grandfather's farm and butcher's shop which her grandfather had worked hard starting it from nothing - but then the State took it from him they said now it belongs to the government. Socialism is about taking what belongs to others -- it is stealing - it is covetousness. My wife's mom has gone over there many times to visit family and the place is not this fancy and charming place that was seen in Michael Moore's film -- the people are starving over there and their health facility is run down. The modernhealth facility seen in Michael Moore's film is provided for tourists who have money to pay for it. Here are some disturbing and accurate depictions of the healthcare in Cuba here: www.therealcuba.com/Page10.htm
As for capitalism - I have heard it said that Capitalism gone astray will make communism look like Disneyworld
The point is: THe love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. - not money itself - but love of money. Our society will only work if people can govern themselves in morality as taught by the Bible.
Well said filmtruth, you are 100% right.
Moderation, simplicity, and happiness remain salient and cogent foundations to optimum wellness, and health, for us all.
Happy Thanksgiving, and to YOUR best health!
Uncle Russ
giftmas day will be next? From U.S. ONCOLOGY..{ WEBSTER TEXAS OFFICE} THIS IS A COPY OF A LETTER I RECEIVED YESTERDAY..DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING DAY? IT GOES LIKE THIS...
DATE 11\19\07...CERTIFIED MAIL: 70062760000167390091..RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
DEAR PATIENT: THIS LETTER IS TO INFORM YOU I AM DISCONTINUING OUR PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP DUE TO NON COMPLIANCE WITH YOUR FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.
I WILL NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH MEDICAL CARE EFFECTIVE 30 DAYS FROM RECEIPT OF THIS LETTER. I EMPHASIZE TO YOU THAT YOUR MEDICAL CONDITION REQUIRES CONTINUING MEDICAL SUPERVISION. FAILURE TO OBTAIN CONTINUING MEDICAL CARE CAN RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH TO YOU. BECAUSE YOU WILL NEED CONTINUED MEDICAL CARE, I ADVISE THAT YOU SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION FROM ANOTHER PHYSICIAN.
I AM ENCLOSEING A CONSENT FORM FOR YOU TO SIGN AND RETURN TO MY OFFICE. THIS WILL AUTHORIZE TEXAS ONCOLOGY P.A., DEKE SLATIONCANCER CENTER TO RELEASE INFORMATION REGUARDING YOUR CASE HISTORY, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT TO YOUR NEW PHYSICIAN.
SINCERLY,
GARY WEISS, M.D.,PhD.
ENCLOSURE: CONSENT FORM FOR RELEASE OF MEDICAL RECORDS..
501 MEDICAL CENTER BLVD. WEBSTER, TEXAS 77598.
PHONE ..281-332-7505, FAX 281-332-7616.
I WILL CLOSE IN SAYING THAT I KNOW I AM DYEING..AND HOWEVER AT THIS TIME I HAVE MADE A 95% recovery...and feel great..only a few months ago after chemo .and lung surgery...i could not walk..eat..ect..i am weak now but can walk and ride a bike ...i now face the wall americans face in a health crisis..the {medicare} i had was drained..by u.s. oncology..i have part a.and part b. but no supplemental insurance policy...so i had to pay 20% out of pockett money which i did not have...it was terrible how i was baggered.while taking chemo..i if the cancer comes back?will not use chemo again..it almost killed me..
the bottom line is killing me? help help
Sir, I can only cry at your predicament. Cry and pray. I hope that you can gain the best of the rest of your life by eating healthily and doing what you can. I hope someone can help you. Best wishes.
Got an all Natural Thanksgiving feast lined up. Better hit the gym first! Happy Thanksgiving.
Advice from my oldest patient, "taking it to God in prayer everyday makes it impossible to hang on to the stress"!