“To find yourself, think for yourself.”
― Socrates
As the great philosophers first observed – man is most happy
when he is striving to make an independent positive difference – when he can
live free as long as he doesn’t purposefully harm another person. Throughout time, people have fought for the
right to pursue their own paths.
In the 1600’s - the first settlers left Europe and landed in
the New World (the area we now know as Jamestown, Virginia.)
The land was plentiful with fruits and vegetables, yet most of the settlers died. The fault, documents
show, were not in the ‘barrenness and defect of the Country' but in the ‘want
of providence, and industry.’
Translated, that means: there was no fault in the land or
the environment, there was plenty of food, the settlers died because but no one
wanted to work to gather the food.
This was because the settlers had no stake in what they
produced. They were bound by contract to put all they produced into a common
pool to be used to support their colony as a whole. Everyone was supposed to
work according to ability and take according to need.
Phillip A. Bruce, a late 19th century US historian, wrote of
the Jamestown immigrants, “The settlers did not have even a modified interest
in the soil …. Everything produced by them went into the common store, in which
they had no proprietorship because it is
owned by the King.”
The result, as Bruce wrote, would be what anyone would
expect; working harder or longer provided them with no rewards, so they avoided
their responsibilities, became lazy, and though food was plentiful, died of
starvation and disease.
The British government sent Sir Thomas Dale to serve as
marshal of the colony. Dale arrived in 1611 and immediately diagnosed the
problem as the absence of individual recognition and reward. He subsequently determined
that each man receive three acres of land and, other than a lump sum tax of 2 ½
barrels of corn, did not have to contribute anything to the common store. The
colony immediately began to prosper. It prospered because each individual
directly benefited by his labor. It goes to show, when a person has an
individual stake in something, ownership, they take pride and work hard to keep
it in shape.
Historian Mathew Paige Andrews, author of Virginia: The Old
Dominion, "As soon as the settlers were thrown upon their own resources,
and each free man had acquired the right of owning property, the colonists
quickly developed what became the distinguishing characteristic of Americans — an aptitude for all kinds of craftsmanship
coupled with an innate genius for experimentation and invention."
The Indians, who had previously looked down upon the
settlers as incompetents, began trading furs and other items for the corn that
was being harvested by the settlers.
It is the basis of our Thanksgiving Celebration.
What gets rewarded,
gets done.
After the arrival of the printing press, ‘common’ people had access to books and didn’t
need to rely solely on the educated wealthy. Religion and nobility started to
take a back seat in what is known as the Enlightenment Period. This ran from
about 1685 to 1778. This period of time is what gave the Founding Fathers of
America the idea of Individual Freedom.
John Locke was a philosopher in England during this time and
believed that people are free and equal by nature and not subject to rule by
royalty.
Locke believed that man could govern himself, trusted man to
do so, and believed in the Golden Rule: “That which you do unto others shall be
done unto you.”
Locke believed that men were basically good and would work
together.
People who were optimistic, brave, and bold loved
Locke’s ideas. Though it was a bit
intimidating and daunting after being told for centuries that only wealthy
could rule and/or that destiny was up to God (or the universe).
The idea that man could control his own life… that man could
shape his own destiny…
that each man is responsible for his happiness…Locke’s ideas
were frightening ideas to many people. People who were not courageous or
confident. People who truly believed they were superior and other people were
not their equals and needed to be controlled.
Despite those who were afraid and the nay-sayers (historical
figures vary, but there are reports that 1/3 to ½ of all people living in the
colonies didn’t support the fight for Independence) the fight for American Independence began with military
conflict in 1775 and lasted at least until 1783 when the peace treaty with the
British was signed. The Declaration of
Independence was signed in 1776 because the idea of personal freedom caught was
inspiring. The difference between America and British was that the USA was built
on the freedom of the people to reason. To think for themselves. To do for
themselves. No one has absolute power…power should be balanced.
The Founding Fathers of America believed in the idea that Individual
Freedom, when used within the boundaries of principles, is the highest
good. EVERYONE would have a shot at
creating a better life. The American Dream was exactly that: the ability of
anyone to lace up their boots, work hard, create a home, follow their own path
– not a path determined by a King or Dictator. You didn’t have to be born into
wealth in order to succeed.
Individuals being responsible for their own happiness is
based on optimism, hope. The “I Can Do It!” philosophy.
“Independence Is Happiness” – Susan B Anthony.
