The Economic Manifesto

[Moliere]

I wonder if some LDS Democrats have a printed version of this hanging next to their redacted version of the Proclamation on the Family

http://ccdesan.livejournal.com/309044.html

Couple excerpts:

The experience of mankind has shown that the people of communities and nations, among whom wealth is the most equally distributed, enjoy the largest degree of liberty, are the least exposed to tyranny and oppression and suffer the least from luxurious habits which beget vice. Among the chosen people of the Lord, to prevent the too rapid growth of wealth and its accumulation in a few hands, he ordained that in every seventh year the debtors were to be released from their debts, and, where a man had sold himself to his brother, he was in that year to be released from slavery and to go free; even the land itself which might pass out of the possession of its owner by his sale of it, whether through his improvidence, mismanagement, or misfortune, could only be alienated until the year of jubilee. At the expiration of every forty-nine years the land reverted, without cost to the man or family whose inheritance originally it was except in the case of a dwelling house in a walled city, for the redemption of which one^year only was allowed, after which, if not redeemed, it became the property, without change at the year of jubilee, of the purchaser. Under such a system, carefully maintained, there could be no great aggregations of either real or personal property', in the hands of a few; especially so while the laws, forbidding the taking of usury or interest for money or property loaned, continued in force.

One of the great evils with which our own nation is menaced at the present time is the wonderful growth of wealth in the hands of a comparatively few individuals. The very liberties for which our fathers contended so steadfastly and courageously, and which they bequeathed to us as a priceless legacy, are endangered by the monstrous power which this accumulation of wealth gives to a few individuals and a few powerful corporations. By its seductive influence results are accomplished which, were it more equally distributed, would be impossible under our form of government. It threatens to give shape to the legislation, both state and national, of the entire country. If this evil should not be checked, and measures not be taken to prevent the continued enormous growth of riches among the class already rich, and the painful increase of destitution and want among the poor, the nation is liable to be overtaken by disaster; for according to history, such a tendency among nations once powerful was the sure precursor of ruin. The evidence of restiveness of the people under this condition of affairs in our times is witnessed in the formation of societies, of granges, of patrons of husbandry, trades' unions, etc., etc., combinations of the productive and working classes against capital.

The public at large who did not buy at its stores derived profits, in that the old practice of dealing which prompted traders to increase the price of an article because of its scarcity, was abandoned. Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institution declined to be a party to making a corner upon any article of merchandise because of the limited supply in the market. From its organization until the present, it has never advanced the price of any article because of its scarcity. Goods therefore in this Territory, have been sold at something liked fixed rates and reasonable profits since the Institution has had an existence, and practices which are deemed legitimate in some parts of the trading world, and by which, in this Territory, the necessities of consumers were taken advantage of—as, for instance, the selling of sugar at a dollar a pound, and domestics, coffee, tobacco and other articles, at an enormous advance over original cost because of their scarcity here—have not been indulged in. In this result the purchasers of goods who have been opposed to co-operation, have shared equally with its patrons.

Your Brethren Brigham Young George A Smith Daniel H Wells John Taylor Wil ford Woodruff Orson Hyde Orson Pratt Charles C Rich Lorenzo Snow Erastus Snow Franklin D Richards George Q Cannon Brigham Young Jr Albert Carrington July 10th 1875

[frank ryan]

I wonder if some LDS Democrats have a printed version of this hanging next to their redacted version of the Proclamation on the Family

http://ccdesan.livejournal.com/309044.html

Couple excerpts:

Proclamation on the Economy, old school Mormons were quite the Socialists.

[Indy Coug]

Proclamation on the Economy, old school Mormons were quite the Socialists.

Of course they were -- back in the day when the church was insolvent.

[frank ryan]

Of course they were -- back in the day when the church was insolvent.

After that too.

[ERCougar]

Brigham Young signed that??

[Moliere]

Brigham Young signed that??

Yes, but just a little background. It seems this was not a "manifesto" like other proclamations or manifestos. It was actually issued in response to criticism of the way ZCMI was formed and doing business. It seemed the ZCMI was more interested in providing goods at a reasonable price rather than making a healthy profit and the church seemed fit to emphasize the purpose of the business, which was a co-op. The people that signed the letter were on the board of ZCMI, however they were basically the whos-who of church leadership at the time.

So while it's not a formal manifesto or proclamation, it certainly emphasizes the economic thought and principles of church leadership of the time, which was more socialistic than capitalistic. It was a very interesting read, at least for me.

[frank ryan]

Yes, but just a little background. It seems this was not a "manifesto" like other proclamations or manifestos. It was actually issued in response to criticism of the way ZCMI was formed and doing business. It seemed the ZCMI was more interested in providing goods at a reasonable price rather than making a healthy profit and the church seemed fit to emphasize the purpose of the business, which was a co-op. The people that signed the letter were on the board of ZCMI, however they were basically the whos-who of church leadership at the time.

So while it's not a formal manifesto or proclamation, it certainly emphasizes the economic thought and principles of church leadership of the time, which was more socialistic than capitalistic. It was a very interesting read, at least for me.

The church was quite Socialist until the govmnt forced the church to abandon polygamy. They also forced them to abandon their political party, called the Peoples Party. Most church members wanted to register as Socialists but church leaders issued a statement from the pulpit that they should be democrats or republicans.

Socialist papers stood up for the church more often than not.

Still Socialists used church buildings to hold meetings, on rare occasion the Tabernacle. James Connolly, the great Irish Nationalist and Catholic Socialist spoke from there I believe. Utah's non Mormon population was pretty receptive to Socialists.

Price is still often a stopover place for Socialist candidates.

Utah was also the first state to have an 8 hour work day.

[Moliere]

The church was quite Socialist until the govmnt forced the church to abandon polygamy. They also forced them to abandon their political party, called the Peoples Party. Most church members wanted to register as Socialists but church leaders issued a statement from the pulpit that they should be democrats or republicans.

Socialist papers stood up for the church more often than not.

Still Socialists used church buildings to hold meetings, on rare occasion the Tabernacle. James Connolly, the great Irish Nationalist and Catholic Socialist spoke from there I believe. Utah's non Mormon population was pretty receptive to Socialists.

Price is still often a stopover place for Socialist candidates.

Utah was also the first state to have an 8 hour work day.

Frank, this is cool stuff to know. I wish there was an article/book on the political nature of Mormondom. I know there's some discussion in RSR and I'm familiar with ETB and his impact, but the gap inbetween those two periods seems obsolete of references.

[Solon]

Frank, this is cool stuff to know. I wish there was an article/book on the political nature of Mormondom. I know there's some discussion in RSR and I'm familiar with ETB and his impact, but the gap inbetween those two periods seems obsolete of references.

Quinn's Extensions of Power has a couple of chapters dedicated to LDS theocracy and the church's involvement in 20th century politics (up into the ERA stuff).

For social(ism) history in Utah, try Leonard Arrington's books, esp. Great Basin Kingdom and Building the City of God.

For the period from 1880 to 1920, Ethan Yorgason's book really encapsulates the shift from radicalism to conservatism (in Utah): Transformation of the Mormon Culture Region (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2003

There's also an oft-cited article about Utah's politics and statehood by Frank Jonas in Politics in the American West (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1969).

Larry Gerlach's book on the Ku Klux Klan in Utah is an interesting look at how the church opposed the Klan's efforts to expand into the western US in the early 20th century.

[byu71]

I think if it were not for the moral issues, most "active" mormons would gravitate to the socialist agenda economically.

[Colly Wolly]

Brigham Young preached blood atonement so take this with a grain of salt.

[Northwestcoug]

I think if it were not for the moral issues, most "active" mormons would gravitate to the socialist agenda economically.

Really? I would think the opposite. The background culture is solid protestant; i.e. hard work gets you to heaven. Without the moral teachings, I think a lot of members would reject government intervention in morality. I'd wager many of them would lean libertarian.

[byu71]

Really? I would think the opposite. The background culture is solid protestant; i.e. hard work gets you to heaven. Without the moral teachings, I think a lot of members would reject government intervention in morality. I'd wager many of them would lean libertarian.

I don't view socialism as meaning you don't work hard. It is that someone else knows better how the "whole" is to be distributed.

Haven't you heard the term the poor "hard working americans" are ripped off by the rich. How many talks in church have you heard about guarding against going after riches.

[Northwestcoug]

I don't view socialism as meaning you don't work hard. It is that someone else knows better how the "whole" is to be distributed.

Haven't you heard the term the poor "hard working americans" are ripped off by the rich. How many talks in church have you heard about guarding against going after riches.

No, I understand what you mean by socialism. But you bring up an intriguing point about trusting someone else with wealth distribution. I guess most members trust their ecclesiastical leaders' decisions, so maybe if they didn't have that faith it would be replaced by a trust in government. I'm not sure. It seems like many Mormons love their economic freedom.

[wuapinmon]

I think if it were not for the moral issues, most "active" mormons would gravitate to the socialist agenda economically.

I view it more as a matter of time. Our great-granchildren will make us sick with how liberal they are. Of course, in your case, it'll be your great-great-great-great grandchildren, but you see my point.