Now, the government of the United States, in asserting its right to take at pleasure the property of individuals, without their consent, virtually denies their right of property altogether, because it asserts that its right of dominion…
Lysander Spooner
The Public Record
Lysander Spooner was an American abolitionist, entrepreneur, lawyer, essayist, natural rights legal theorist, pamphleteer, political philosopher, and writer often associated with the Boston anarchist tradition.
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No man can be said to have any right of property at all, in any thing--that is, any right of supreme, absolute, and irresponsible dominion over any thing--of which any other men may rightfully deprive him at their pleasure.
When, therefore, a government takes a man's property, for its own support, or for its own uses, without his consent, it practically denies his right of property altogether; for it practically asserts that its right of dominion is superior…
If A uses his own property so as to injure the person or property of B, his own property may rightfully be taken to any extent that is necessary to make reparation for the wrong he has done.
And this right of property--this right of supreme, absolute, and irresponsible dominion over anything that is naturally a subject of ownership--is subject only to this qualification, viz., that each man must so use his own, as not to…
This taking of a man's property, without his consent, is a denial of his right of property; for the right of property is the right of supreme, absolute, and irresponsible dominion over anything that is naturally a subject of…
This is proved by the fact that it takes, for its own uses, any and every man's property--when it pleases, and as much of it as it pleases--without obtaining, or even asking, his consent.
The government recognizes no such thing as any natural right of property, on the part of individuals.
All contracts for such a purpose are absurd and void contracts, that no man can rightfully be compelled to fulfil.
No man can sell it, or transfer it to another; or give to another any right of arbitrary dominion over him.
If, in private life, a man enters into a perfectly voluntary agreement to work for another, at some innocent and useful labor, for a day, a week, a month, or a year, he cannot lawfully be compelled to fulfil that contract; because such…
But in still another way, than by its conscriptions, the government denies a man's right to any will, choice, judgment, or conscience of his own, in regard either to being killed himself, or used as a weapon in its hands for killing other…