Political Quotes

Lysander Spooner: “They cannot claim or expect that the whole people shall practise the folly of taking on trust their pretended superior…”

On the record
They cannot claim or expect that the whole people shall practise the folly of taking on trust their pretended superior knowledge, and of committing blindly into their hands all their own interests, liberties, and rights, to be disposed of on principles, the justness of which the people themselves cannot comprehend.
Said by
Lysander Spooner

Editor's note · Context

Spooner critiques the idea of blindly trusting those in power, advocating for individual understanding of justice and rights.

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On the contrary, they acknowledge themselves robbers, murderers, and villains, pure and simple.

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In short, they acknowledge themselves hostes humani generis: enemies of the human race.

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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.

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They neither ask, nor expect, any mercy, if they should ever fall into the hands of honest men.

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