Practically speaking, no government knows any limits to its power, except the endurance of the people.
Lysander Spooner: “Practically speaking, no government knows any limits to its power, except the endurance of the people.”
Editor's note · Context
Spooner states that the limits of government power are determined by the people's endurance.
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They neither ask, nor expect, any mercy, if they should ever fall into the hands of honest men.
They acknowledge it to be our unquestioned right and duty to kill them, if we can; that they expect nothing else, than that we will kill them, if we can; and that we are only fools and cowards, if we do not kill them, by any and every…
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.
They do not carry their heads high, above all other men, and demand our reverence and admiration, as statesmen, patriots, and benefactors.