Political Quotes

Lysander Spooner: “All free government is founded on the theory of voluntary association; and on the theory that all the parties to it…”

On the record
All free government is founded on the theory of voluntary association; and on the theory that all the parties to it voluntarily pay their taxes for its support, on the condition of receiving protection in return.
Said by
Lysander Spooner

Editor's note · Context

Spooner asserts that free government is based on voluntary association and mutual protection.

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More from Lysander Spooner

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.

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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 do not tell us of the almshouses, hospitals, schools, churches, etc., which, out of the purest charity and benevolence, they maintain for our benefit, out of the money they take from us.

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

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