Thanksgiving: A Celebration of Faith, Freedom and the Lessons of History

A Column From the Desk of Assemblyman David DiPietro (R,C-East Aurora)

This Thanksgiving, as we gather with loved ones to express gratitude, it is worth reflecting on the lessons from the Pilgrims’ journey and their experiment in Plymouth Colony. They remind us that the true meaning of Thanksgiving is not only a celebration of God’s blessings but also a triumph of individual liberty and the rejection of collectivism.

The Pilgrims were devout believers and seeking freedom from religious persecution. They envisioned a New Jerusalem in the New World. Their dream included a collectivist economy inspired by Plato’s Republic, where labor and resources were shared equally. However, their noble intentions quickly turned to despair.

The collective approach bred resentment and inefficiency. Those who worked hard saw their efforts redistributed to those less industrious, eroding morale and productivity. Governor William Bradford described it as an experiment that “bred confusion and discontent,” where disincentives left the community on the brink of starvation. In fact, the first Pilgrim community lost 45 of the 102 original immigrants who arrived in the winter of 1620-1621. Two years of socialism in practice had tragically left alive only a fraction of the original number of the Plymouth colonists.

Faced with imminent collapse, the Pilgrims embraced a radical solution: private property. Families were assigned individual parcels of land and allowed to enjoy the fruits of their labor. The results were transformative. Productivity soared and the bounty of their efforts replaced famine with plenty. Bradford marveled at the newfound industriousness, noting that even those once unwilling to work now eagerly tilled the fields alongside their families.

This pivotal shift exposed a timeless truth that human nature thrives on individual freedom and personal responsibility. Attempts to impose collectivist systems often clash with these innate qualities, leading to scarcity and discord. The Pilgrims’ story stands as a cautionary tale against the allure of utopian promises of wealth redistribution and government control.

Individualism is in our DNA as Americans, and we must always remember the Pilgrims’ hard-earned wisdom. True prosperity arises not from central planning or forced altruism but from the liberty to pursue our God-given potential. It is through hard work, personal responsibility and voluntary exchange that communities flourish and abundance is shared.

This Thanksgiving, let us give thanks to God for His providence and for the freedoms that allow us to prosper. I encourage everyone to reflect on the Pilgrims’ legacy by upholding the principles of faith, individual liberty and gratitude that define the American spirit. Their story reminds us that freedom guided by divine wisdom is the surest path to both material and spiritual abundance.

Assemblyman David DiPietro represents the 147th Assembly District, which includes parts of Erie and Wyoming counties.