On the record
It does not derive its authority from the commands, will, pleasure, or discretion of any possible combination of men, whether calling themselves a government, or by any other name.
Said by
Lysander Spooner
Source
gutenberg.orgLysander Spooner: “It does not derive its authority from the commands, will, pleasure, or discretion of any possible combination of men…”
Editor's note · Context
Spooner argues that the authority of justice is inherent and not granted by any government.
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In short, they acknowledge themselves hostes humani generis: enemies of the human race.
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.
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…