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.
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…”
Editor's note · Context
In this passage, Spooner sarcastically comments on the limited political power of citizens.
Share
More from Lysander Spooner
In short, they acknowledge themselves hostes humani generis: enemies of the human race.
They do not tell us that they have established infallible supreme courts, to whom they refer all questions as to the legality of their acts, and that they do nothing that is not sanctioned by these courts.
When they have once taken our money, they have the decency to get out of our sight as soon as possible; they do not persist in following us, and robbing us, again and again, so long as we produce anything that they can take from us.
For all these reasons, they are not only modest and sensible, but really frank, honest, and honorable villains, contrasted with these courts of injustice, and the lawmakers by whom these courts are established.