55 Lysander Spooner Quotes for You to Enjoy

Lysander Spooner

American Philosopher

Born: Jan 19, 1808

Died: May 14, 1887

Any Government Law Man Men Rights

Related authors: Allan Bloom Deepak Chopra George Herbert Mead John Dewey Judith Butler Robert M. Pirsig Robert Nozick William James

But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist. Lysander Spooner

Government Constitution Has-Been One Thing Case Prevent Had Powerless Another Been Exist Authorized Unfit Whether Either Much Really Certain Thing

If taxation without consent is robbery, the United States government has never had, has not now, and is never likely to have, a single honest dollar in its treasury. If taxation without consent is not robbery, then any band of robbers have only to declare themselves a government, and all their robberies are legalized. Lysander Spooner

Government Single Band States Only Never Had Robbery Likely Without Dollar Any Declare Taxation Themselves Then Now United United States United States Government Treasury Consent Honest

A traitor is a betrayer - one who practices injury, while professing friendship. Benedict Arnold was a traitor, solely because, while professing friendship for the American cause, he attempted to injure it. An open enemy, however criminal in other respects, is no traitor. Lysander Spooner

A man's natural rights are his own, against the whole world; and any infringement of them is equally a crime, whether committed by one man, or by millions; whether committed by one man, calling himself a robber, (or by any other name indicating his true character,) or by millions, calling themselves a government. Lysander Spooner

Government Character Man Rights Natural World Crime Own Other One-Man True True Character Name Robber Calling Himself Equally His Committed Any Whether Against Them Themselves Natural Rights Whole Millions

If any man's money can be taken by a so-called government, without his own personal consent, all his other rights are taken with it; for with his money the government can, and will, hire soldiers to stand over him, compel him to submit to its arbitrary will, and kill him if he resists. Lysander Spooner

The apology, that is constantly put forth for the injustice of government, viz., that a man must consent to give up some of his rights, in order to have his other rights protected - involves a palpable absurdity, both legally and politically. Lysander Spooner

Government Man Injustice Rights Other Must Constantly Some Viz Give Both Put Absurdity Involves Protected His Up Legally Politically Order Forth Apology Palpable Consent

A slave government is an oligarchy; and one, too, of the most arbitrary and criminal character. Lysander Spooner

Government Character Too Criminal Arbitrary Most Oligarchy Slave

It is self-evident that no number of men, by conspiring, and calling themselves a government, can acquire any rights whatever over other men, or other men's property, which they had not before, as individuals. Lysander Spooner

Government Property Rights Men Before Whatever Other Conspiring Had Individuals Over Self-Evident Calling Any Which Acquire Themselves Number

Vices are simply the errors which a man makes in his search after his own happiness. Unlike crimes, they imply no malice toward others, and no interference with their persons or property. Lysander Spooner

The secret ballot makes a secret government; and a secret government is a secret band of robbers and murderers. Lysander Spooner

Government Band Secret Makes Ballot

In reality there is no such thing as an inflation of prices, relatively to gold. There is such a thing as a depreciated paper currency. Lysander Spooner

Reality Inflation Relatively Paper Paper Currency Prices Currency Gold Such A Thing Thing

To deprive mankind of their natural right and power of creating wealth for themselves, is as great a tyranny as it is to rob them of it after they have created it. And this is done by all laws against honest banking. Lysander Spooner

The greatest of all crimes are the wars that are carried on by governments, to plunder, enslave, and destroy mankind. Lysander Spooner

Crimes Enslave Destroy Carried Plunder Greatest Governments Mankind Wars

But for their right to judge of the law, and the justice of the law, juries would be no protection to an accused person, even as to matters of fact; for, if the government can dictate to a jury any law whatever, in a criminal case, it can certainly dictate to them the laws of evidence. Lysander Spooner

Government Justice Judge Law Protection Matters Whatever Criminal Evidence Would Would-Be Case Laws Fact Dictate Person Accused Juries Any Jury Them Certainly Even Right

But that the people are stronger than the government, and will resist in extreme cases, our governments would be little or nothing else than organized systems of plunder and oppression. Lysander Spooner

Government People Oppression Will Stronger Nothing Else Our Extreme Systems Would Would-Be Plunder Cases Governments Than Little Organized Resist

Men's moral principles are weak enough without their being made subordinate to selfishness; and their selfishness is quite active enough, without any such effort as Christianity makes to constitute it the mainspring of all their conduct. Lysander Spooner

Made Men Active Christianity Enough Weak Moral Moral Principles Constitute Principles Without Makes Selfishness Conduct Effort Subordinate Any Quite Being

If physical power be the fountain of law, then law and force are synonymous terms. Or, perhaps, rather, law would be the result of a combination of will and force; of will, united with a physical power sufficient to compel obedience to it, but not necessarily having any moral character whatever. Lysander Spooner

Character Obedience Law Result Will Power Whatever Synonymous Moral Would Moral Character Would-Be Physical Rather Having Combination Perhaps Terms Force Any Then United Compel Sufficient Fountain Necessarily

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