G. A. Cohen on Self-Ownership, Property, and ... - Tom G. Palmer

240 Critical Review Vol. 12, No. 3own, for want of providence, industrie and government, and not thebarrennesse and defect of the Country, as is generally supposed. (InBethell 1998,34)Sir Thomas Dale, upon his arrival in Virginia in May of 1611, notedthat the colonists were bowling in the streets rather than working. Itwas the introduction of several property that put an end to the “starvinghime” that resulted f%om joint ownership of assets and egalitariandistribution of the joint product.<strong>Cohen</strong>’s experiment was also tried at Plymouth Colony a few yearslater. As Governor William Bradford noted:The experience that was had in this common come and condition,tried sundry years and that among godly and sober men, may wellevince the vanity of that conceit of Plato’s and other ancients applaudedby some of later times: that the taking away of property andbringing in community into a commonwealth would make themhappy and flourishing; as if they were wiser than God. For this community(so far as it was) was found to breed much confksion and discontentand retard much employment that would have been to theirbenefit and comfort. For the young men, that were most fit and ablefor labour and service, did repine that they should spend their timeand strength to work for other men’s wives and children without anyrecompense. The strong, or man of parts, had no more in division ofvictuals and clothes than he that was weak and not able to do a quarterthe other could; this was thought injustice. The aged and graver mento be ranked and equalized in labours and victuals, clothes, etc., withthe meaner and younger sort, thought it some indignity and disrespectunto them. And for men’s wives to be commanded to do service forother men, as dressing their meat, washing their clothes, etc., theydeemed it a kind of slavery, neither could many husbands well brookit. Upon the point all being to have alike, and all to do alike, theythought themselves in the like condition, and one as good as another;and so, if it did not cut ob those relations that God hath set amongmen, yet it did at least much diminish and take off the mutual respectsthat should have been preserved amongst them. And would have beenworse if they had been men of another condition. Let none object thisis men’s corruption, and nothing to the course itsell: I answer, seeingall men have this corruption in them, God in His wisdom saw anothercourse fitter for them. (In Bethell 1998,~~)When <strong>Cohen</strong>’s thought experiment has been run in reality, it turnsout that Able (“the strong, or man of parts”) does not agree to work