Lysander Spooner Quotes

Lysander Spooner (American - Philosopher)

 

January 19, 1808 - May 14, 1887

 

ⓒ wikipedia

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

All governments, the worst on earth, and the most tyrannical on earth, are free governments to that portion of the people who voluntarily support them.

 

 

 

The right of revolution, which tyrants, in mockery, accord to mankind, is no legal right under a government; it is only a natural right to overturn a government.

 

 

 

To say that majorities, as such, have a right to rule minorities, is equivalent to saying that minorities have, and ought to have, no rights, except such as majorities please to allow them.

 

 

 

A man is no less a slave because he is allowed to choose a new master once in a term of years.

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

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.