Income Redistribution lesson from Little Red Hen

Lesson for the liberal left to learn. Take from the productive to give to the unproductive will destroy the system of free enterprise. Income redistribution never, ever works.

The Little Red Hen in Farmer Jackson’s Barnyard.
(or why taking from the productive to feed the unproductive fails)

Once upon a time, there lived a little red hen. One day she found some grains of wheat. She gathered her neighbors and said, “ If we work together and plant this wheat we can eventually share some fine bread. Who will help me sow the wheat?”

“Not I” said the cow. “Not I” said the Pig. “Not I” said the duck. “Not I” said the goose.

“Okay” said the little red hen, “I will” and she did. The wheat flourished and was ripe with golden grain, and then the time came to grind the wheat into flour. “I’m not risking my unemployment compensation,” said the cow. “That’s out of my job classification said the pig”. “I’ll loses my aid to dependent children”, said the goose.

Then it was time to bake the bread. “I’ve got some food stamps lift over”, said the cow. “Sounds like overtime to me”, said the pig. “I’m a drop-out and can’t learn new things”, said the duck. “Well, If I’m the only one to help, that’s discrimination”, said the goose.

Frustrated, the little red hen fired the oven and mixed the dough and baked five loaves of fine bread. “I want some”, said the. “Where’s mine”? said the pig. “Share and share alike”, quacked the duck. “I demand some”, squawked the goose.

“No”, said the little red hen. “I’ll just keep the bread for myself. After all, I did all the work. These five loaves will do me just fine”.

“Excess profits!” cried the cow. “Company fink!” threatened the pig. “Capitalist profit taker!” wailed the duck. “Equal rights!” screamed the goose. Without losing further time, they hastily painted picket signs and marched around the little red hen’s coop singing “we shall over come!”

Farmer Jackson, hearing the ruckus, hurried to restore order. You must not be greedy, little red hen,” he said. “Look at the oppressed cow. See the unfortunate pig. Look at he oppressed duck. Have you no compassion for the minorities?

“But, but”, sputtered the little red hen. “I planted the wheat, harvested the grain and ground the flour. I made the dough and baked the bread”.

“True”, said farmer Jackson, “that’s the wonderful free enterprise system. Anybody in the barnyard is free to earn as much as he can. You should appreciate this freedom. In other barnyards, you would have to give the five loaves to the farmer. Here you can share. Just give the four loaves to your less fortunate friends. You keep one and count your blessings, and next time we must think of those less able to labor or toil for their keep.

And they all lived happily ever after. But the neighbors wondered why the little red hen never baked any more bread.

And just what is the lesson to be learned here – Everyone must take responsibility for themselves, live lives with grateful giving – understand nothing is free, everything has a cost, including freedom itself.