In one of his radio programs, Ronald Reagan gave a modern-day retelling of the Little Red Hen, made to portray the other farm animals as socialists waiting for a handout.

The Little Red Hen was a portrayal of the Protestant work ethic, based on St. Paul's directive that if a man will not work, neither let him eat.  Given the Puritan influence on our history, this work ethic likely influenced the growth of American capitalism, as well as that in much of Europe.

In his retelling, Reagan made the assumption the hen was a capitalist.  The moral of his story is that socialism discourages entrepreneurship, though it hasn't apparently had that effect in the rest of the free world countries, most of which have successfully married capitalism with socialism.

And what's to prevent the Little Red Hen from being a communist?  She is, after all, the little red hen.  

The communist philosophy--from each according to his ability, to each according to his contribution-- is just as consistent with the moral of the Little Red Hen as is the Protestant work ethic.

With all due respect, let's modify Reagan's story a little.  Imagine a scenario where Comrade Hen asks for the other farm animals to help out on her collective farm.   Though her socialist workers want government handouts, they're intelligent enough to know they won't get them if they don't contribute.  And so, her fellow farm animals willingly agree to help her out.  However, there's no regulation built into the system and so, in the end, the Little Pinko Hen decides that she's done the lion's share of the work.   She is, after all, the one who came up with the idea in the first place.  Without her brilliant oversight, there would be no bread for anyone.

Comrade Hen decides she deserves the bread, while the rest can get by with the crumbs.  This scenario is effectively what happened in the former Soviet Union.

But greed exists in any system; not just under communism.  Today, the same scenario takes place in large corporations in America, where some CEO's make 400 times as much as the average worker.  To each according to his contribution is rampant in American industry.

These Pinko Capitalists have used the lack of government regulation Reagan instituted to turn away willing workers in favor of those in other countries willing to eat the crumbs.

This isn't because management necessarily makes a greater contribution.  I'm sure we've all worked in offices where it was almost impossible to find the boss (except maybe at his mountain condo) when we needed his brilliant oversight.

The moral of the story is: no matter what political system you have, as long as there's bread to be made,  there will always be Pinko Hens to take it away from the rest.