Yet such is the inconsistency of human nature, that some men--in fact, many men--who will risk their lives for this principle, when their own liberty or property is at stake, will violate it in the most flagrant manner, if they can thereby obtain arbitrary power over the persons or property of others.
Spooner critiques the hypocrisy of those who claim to uphold liberty while seeking power over others.
Share
More from Lysander Spooner
They do not tell us that we are the freest and happiest people on earth, inasmuch as each of our male adults is allowed one voice in ten millions in the choice of the men, who are to rob, enslave, and murder us.
They neither ask, nor expect, any mercy, if they should ever fall into the hands of honest men.
On the contrary, they acknowledge themselves robbers, murderers, and villains, pure and simple.
They do not tell us that all liberty and order would be destroyed, that society itself would go to pieces, and man go back to barbarism, if it were not for the care, and supervision, and protection, they lavish upon us.