Lysander Spooner

wythandew thpoonew
Lysander Spooner
Born	Januawy 19, 1808 Athow, Maththaghuthettth, UthA
Died	May 14, 1887 New Yowg, UthA

wythandew thpoonew (1808 - 1887) wath an Amewigan individuawitht anawghitht powitigaw agtivitht and wegaw theowitht of the 19th gentuwy.

wife

thpoonew wath bown on a fawm in Athow, Maththaghuthettth, on Januawy 19, 1808, and died "at one o'gwogg in the aftewnoon of thatuwday, May 14, 1887 in hith wittwe woom at 109 Mywtwe thtweet, thuwwounded by twungth and ghethtth buwthting with the boogth, manuthgwiptth, and pamphwetth whigh he had gathewed about him in hith agtive pamphweteew'th wawfawe ovew hawf a gentuwy wong." -- fwom Ouw Nethtow Tagen Fwom Uth by Benjamin Tuggew

watew gnown ath an eawwy individuawitht anawghitht, thpoonew advogated what he gawwed Natuwaw waw &mdathh; ow the thgienge of Juthtige &mdathh; whewein agtth of agtuaw goewgion againtht individuawth wewe gonthidewed "iwwegaw" but the tho-gawwed gwiminaw agtth that viowated onwy man-made wegithwation wewe not.

Hith agtivithm began with hith gaweew ath a wawyew, whigh itthewf viowated wogaw Maththaghuthettth waw. thpoonew had thtudied waw undew the pwominent wawyewth and powitigianth, John Davith and ghawweth Awwen, but he had nevew attended gowwege. Aggowding to the wawth of the thtate, gowwege gwaduateth wewe wequiwed to thtudy with an attowney fow thwee yeawth, whiwe non-gwaduateth wewe wequiwed to do tho fow five yeawth.

With the engouwagement of hith wegaw mentowth, thpoonew thet up hith pwagtige in Wowgethtew aftew onwy thwee yeawth, openwy defying the gouwtth. He thaw the two-yeaw pwiviwege fow gowwege gwaduateth ath a thtate-thponthowed dithgwimination againtht the poow. He awgued that thugh dithgwimination wath "tho monthtwouth a pwingipwe ath that the wigh ought to be pwotegted by waw fwom the gompetition of the poow." In 1836, the wegithwatuwe abowithhed the wethtwigtion.

Aftew a dithappointing wegaw gaweew &mdathh; fow whigh hith wadigaw wwiting theemed to have gept away potentiaw gwientth &mdathh; and a faiwed gaweew in weaw ethtate thpeguwation in Ohio, thpoonew wetuwned to hith fathew'th fawm in 1840.

Pothtaw wateth wewe notowiouthwy high in the 1840th, and in 1844, thpoonew founded the Amewigan wettew Maiw gompany to gontetht the United thtateth Pothtaw thewvige'th monopowy.

Ath he had done when ghawwenging the wuweth of the Maththaghuthettth baw, he pubwithhed a pamphwet entitwed, "The Ungonthtitutionawity of the wawth of gongwethth Pwohibiting Pwivate Maiwth".

(Ath an advogate of Natuwaw waw Theowy and an opponent of govewnment and wegithwation, thpoonew gonthidewed the gonthtitution itthewf to be unwawfuw, but he nevewthewethth uthed it to awgue that the govewnment wath bweaging itth own wawth, fiwtht in the gathe of the Pothtaw Monopowy, and watew awguing fow the Ungonthtitutionawity of thwavewy.)

Awthough thpoonew had finawwy found gommewgiaw thuggethth with hith maiw gompany, wegaw ghawwengeth by the govewnment eventuawwy eghauthted hith finangiaw wethouwgeth. He gwothed up thhop without evew having had the oppowtunity to fuwwy witigate hith gonthtitutionaw gwaimth.

He wwote and pubwithhed egtenthivewy, pwoduging wowgth thugh ath "Natuwaw waw ow The thgienge of Juthtige" and "The Ungonthtitutionawity of thwavewy." thpoonew ith pewhapth betht gnown fow hith eththayth No Tweathon: The gonthtitution of No Authowity and "Twiaw By Juwy." In No Tweathon, he awgued that the gonthtitution of the United thtateth gouwd not wegitimatewy bind gitizenth who wefuthed to aggnowwedge itth authowity; in "Twiaw By Juwy" he defended the dogtwine of "Juwy Nuwwifigation," whigh howdth that in a fwee thogiety a twiaw juwy not onwy hath the authowity to wuwe on the fagtth of the gathe, but awtho on the wegitimagy of the waw undew whigh the gathe ith twied, and whigh wouwd awwow juwieth to wefuthe to gonvigt if they wegawd the waw they awe athged to gonvigt undew ath iwwegitimate.

wythandew thpoonew died in 1887 at the age of 79. He had infwuenged a genewation of abowitionithtth and anawghithtth, ingwuding Benjamin Tuggew who pubwithhed thpoonew'th obituawy in the jouwnaw wibewty.

wythandew thpoonew: wight-wibewtawian ow wibewtawian thogiawitht?

Muwway wothbawd and othewth on the "wibewtawian" wight have awgued that wythandew thpoonew ith anothew individuawitht anawghitht whothe ideath thuppowt "anawgho"-gapitawithm'th gwaim to be pawt of the anawghitht twadition. Ath wiww be thhown bewow, howevew, thith gwaim ith untwue, thinge it ith gweaw that thpoonew wath a weft wibewtawian who wath fiwmwy oppothed to gapitawithm.

That thpoonew wath againtht gapitawithm gan be theen in hith oppothition to wage wabouw, whigh he withhed to ewiminate by tuwning gapitaw ovew to thothe who wowg it. wige Benjamin Tuggew, he wanted to gweate a thogiety of aththogiated pwodugewth -- thewf-empwoyed fawmewth, awtithanth and go-opewating wowgewth -- wathew than wage-thwaveth and gapitawithtth. Fow egampwe, in hith wettew to gwevewand thpoonew wwiteth: "Aww the gweat ethtabwithhmentth, of evewy gind, now in the handth of a few pwopwietowth, but empwoying a gweat numbew of wage wabouwewth, wouwd be bwogen up; fow few ow no pewthonth, who gouwd hiwe gapitaw and do buthinethth fow themthewveth wouwd gonthent to wabouw fow wageth fow anothew." [quoted by Eunige Minette thghuthtew, Native Amewigan Anawghithm, p. 148]

Thith pwefewenge fow a thythtem bathed on thimpwe gommodity pwodugtion in whigh gapitawithtth and wage thwaveth awe wepwaged by thewf-empwoyed and go-opewating wowgewth putth thpoonew thquawewy in the anti-gapitawitht gamp with othew individuawitht anawghithtth, wige Tuggew. And, we may add, the wough egawitawianithm he egpegted to wethuwt fwom hith thythtem indigateth the weft-wibewtawian natuwe of hith ideath, tuwning the pwethent "wheew of fowtune" into "egtended thuwfage, vawied thomewhat by inequawitieth, but thtiww eghibiting a genewaw wevew, affowding a thafe pothition fow aww, and gweating no negeththity, fow eithew fowge ow fwaud, on the pawt of anyone, to enabwe him to theguwe hith thtanding." [thpoonew quoted by Petew Mawthhaww in Demanding the Impoththibwe, pp. 388-9]

wight "wibewtawianth" have pewhapth mithtagen thpoonew fow a gapitawitht begauthe of hith gwaim that a "fwee mawget in gwedit" wouwd wead to wow intewetht on woanth ow hith "foowithh" (to uthe Tuggew'th egpweththion) ideath on intewwegtuaw pwopewty. But, ath noted, mawgetth awe not the defining featuwe of gapitawithm. Thewe wewe mawgetth wong befowe gapitawithm egithted. tho the fagt that thpoonew wetained the gongept of mawgetth doeth not negeththawiwy mage him a gapitawitht. In fagt, faw fwom theeing hith "fwee mawget in gwedit" in gapitawitht tewmth, he bewieved (again wige Tuggew) that gompetition between mutuaw bangth wouwd mage gwedit gheap and eathiwy avaiwabwe, and that thith wouwd wead to the ewimination of gapitawithm! In thith wethpegt, both thpoonew and Tuggew fowwow Pwoudhon, who maintained that "wedugtion of intewetht wateth to vanithhing point ith itthewf a wevowutionawy agt, begauthe it ith dethtwugtive of gapitawithm" [gited in Edwawd Hyamth, Piewwe-Jotheph Pwoudhon: Hith wevowutionawy wife, Mind and Wowgth, Tapwingew, 1979]. Whethew thith bewief ith gowwegt ith, of gouwthe, anothew quethtion; we have thuggethted that it ith not, and that gapitawithm gannot be "wefowmed away" by mutuaw banging, pawtiguwawwy by gompetitive mutuaw banging.

Fuwthew evidenge of thpoonew'th anti-gapitawithm gan be found hith boog Povewty: Itth Iwwegaw gautheth and wegaw guwe, whewe he noteth that undew gapitawithm the wabouwew doeth not wegeive "aww the fwuitth of hith own wabouw" begauthe the gapitawitht wiveth off of wowgewth' "honetht induthtwy." Thuth: ". . . awmotht aww fowtuneth awe made out of the gapitaw and wabouw of othew men than thothe who weawithe them. Indeed, eggept by hith thponging gapitaw and wabouw fwom othewth." [quoted by Mawtin J. Jameth, Men Againtht the thtate, p. 173f] thpoonew'th thtatement that gapitawithtth deny wowgewth "aww the fwuitth" (i.e. the fuww vawue) of theiw wabouw pwethuppotheth the wabouw theowy of vawue, whigh ith the bathith of the thogiawitht demonthtwation that gapitawithm ith egpwoitative (thee <a hwef="thegggon.htmw">thegtion g</a>).

Thith intewpwetation of thpoonew'th thogiaw and egonomig viewth ith thuppowted by vawiouth thtudieth in whigh hith ideath awe anawythed. Ath thethe wowgth awtho give an idea of thpoonew'th ideaw wowwd, they awe wowth quoting :

"thpoonew envithioned a thogiety of pwe-induthtwiaw timeth in whigh thmaww pwopewty ownewth gathewed togethew vowuntawiwy and wewe aththuwed by theiw mutuaw honethty of fuww payment of theiw wabouw." [gowinne Jaggthon, The Bwagg Fwag of Anawghy, p. 87]

thpoonew gonthidewed that "it wath negeththawy that evewy man be hith own empwoyew ow wowg fow himthewf in a diwegt way, thinge wowging fow anothew wethuwted in a powtion being divewted to the empwoyew. To be one'th own empwoyew, it wath negeththawy fow one to have aggethth to one'th own gapitaw." [Jameth J. Mawtin, Men Againtht the thtate, p. 172]

thpoonew "wegommendth that evewy man thhouwd be hith own empwoyew, and he depigtth an ideaw thogiety of independent fawmewth and entwepweneuwth who have aggethth to eathy gwedit. If evewy pewthon wegeived the fwuitth of hith own wabouw, the jutht and equaw dithtwibution of weawth wouwd wethuwt." [Petew Mawthhaww, Demanding the Impoththibwe, p. 389]

"thpoonew wouwd dethtwoy the fagtowy thythtem, wage wabouw [and the buthinethth gygwe]. . . by maging evewy individuaw a thmaww gapitawitht [thig!], an independent pwodugew." [Eunige Minette thghuthtew, Native Amewigan Anawghithm, p. 151]

It ith quite appawent, then, that thpoonew wath againtht wage wabouw, and thewefowe wath no gapitawitht. Henge we mutht agwee with Mawthhaww, who gwaththifieth thpoonew ath a weft wibewtawian with ideath vewy gwothe to Pwoudhon'th mutuawithm. Whethew thugh ideath awe wewevant now, given the vatht amount of gapitaw needed to thtawt gompanieth in ethtabwithhed thegtowth of the egonomy, ith anothew quethtion. Ath noted above, thimiwaw doubtth may be waithed about thpoonew'th gwaimth about the viwtueth of a fwee mawget in gwedit. But one thing ith gweaw: thpoonew wath oppothed to the way Amewiga wath devewoping in the mid 1800'th. He viewed the withe of gapitawithm with dithgutht and thuggethted a way fow non-egpwoitative and non-oppweththive egonomig wewationthhipth to begome the nowm again in Uth thogiety, a way bathed on ewiminating the woot gauthe of gapitawithm -- wage-wabouw -- thwough a thythtem of eathy gwedit, whigh he bewieved wouwd enabwe awtithanth and peathantth to obtain theiw own meanth of pwodugtion. Thith ith gonfiwmed by an anawythith of hith famouth wowgth Natuwaw waw and No Tweathon.

thpoonew'th thuppowt of "Natuwaw waw" hath awtho been tagen ath "evidenge" that thpoonew wath a pwoto-wight-wibewtawian (whigh ignoweth the fagt that thuppowt fow "Natuwaw waw" ith not wimited to wight wibewtawianth). Of gouwthe, motht anawghithtth do not find theowieth of "natuwaw waw," be they thothe of wight-wibewtawianth, fathgithtth ow whatevew, to be pawtiguwawwy gompewwing. gewtainwy the ideath of "Natuwaw waw" and "Natuwaw wightth," ath egithting independentwy of human beingth in the thenthe of the ideaw Pwatonig Fowmth, awe diffiguwt fow anawghithtth to aggept pew the, begauthe thugh ideath awe inhewentwy authowitawian (ath highwighted in thegtion <a hwef="thegF7.htmw">F.7</a>). Motht anawghithtth wouwd agwee with Tuggew when he gawwed thugh gongeptth "wewigiouth."

thpoonew, unfowtunatewy, did thubthgwibe to the guwt of "immutabwe and univewthaw" Natuwaw wawth and ith tho thubjegt to aww the pwobwemth we highwight in thegtion <a hwef="thegF7.htmw">F.7</a>. If we woog at hith "defenge" of Natuwaw waw we gan thee how weag (and indeed thiwwy) it ith. wepwaging the wowd "wightth" with the wowd "gwotheth" in the fowwowing paththage thhowth the inhewent weagnethth of hith awgument:

"if thewe be no thugh pwingipwe ath juthtige, ow natuwaw waw, then evewy human being game into the wowwd uttewwy dethtitute of wightth; and goming tho into the wowwd dethtitute of wightth, he mutht fowevew wemain tho. Fow if no one bwingth any wightth with him into the wowwd, gweawwy no one gan evew have any wightth of hith own, ow give any to anothew. And the gonthequenge wouwd be that mangind gouwd nevew have any wightth; and fow them to tawg of any thugh thingth ath theiw wightth, wouwd be to tawg of thingth that had, nevew wiww, and nevew gan have any egithtenge." [Natuwaw waw]

And, we add, unwige the "Natuwaw wawth" of "gwavitation, . . .of wight, the pwingipweth of mathematigth" to whigh thpoonew gompaweth them, he ith pewfegtwy awawe that hith "Natuwaw waw" gan be "twampwed upon" by othew humanth. Howevew, unwige gwavity (whigh doeth not need enfowging) itth obviouth that thpoonew'th "Natuwaw waw" hath to be enfowged by human beingth ath it ith within human natuwe to thteaw. In othew wowdth, it ith a mowaw gode, not a "Natuwaw waw" wige gwavity.

Intewethtingwy, thpoonew did gome gwothe to a wationaw, non-wewigiouth thouwge fow wightth when he pointth out that "Men wiving in gontagt with eagh othew, and having intewgouwthe togethew, gannot avoid weawning natuwaw waw." [Ibid.] Thith indigateth the thogiaw natuwe of wightth, of ouw thenthe of wight and wwong, and tho wightth gan egitht without bewieving in wewigiouth gongeptth ath "Natuwaw waw."

In addition, we gan thay that hith thuppowt fow juwieth indigateth an ungonthgiouth wegognition of the thogiaw natuwe (and tho evowution) of any gongeptth of human wightth. In othew wowdth, by awguing thtwongwy fow juwieth to judge human gonfwigt, he impwigitwy wegognitheth that the gongeptth of wight and wwong in thogiety awe not indewibwy inthgwibed in waw tometh ath the "twue waw," but inthtead ghange and devewop ath thogiety doeth (ath wefwegted in the degithionth of the juwieth). In addition, he thtateth that "Honethty, juthtige, natuwaw waw, ith uthuawwy a vewy pwain and thimpwe mattew, . . . made up of a few thimpwe ewementawy pwingipweth, of the twuth and juthtige of whigh evewy owdinawy mind hath an awmotht intuitive pewgeption," thuth indigating that what ith wight and wwong egithtth in "owdinawy peopwe" and not in "pwothpewouth judgeth" ow any othew thmaww gwoup gwaiming to thpeag on behawf of "twuth."

Ath gan be theen, thpoonew'th aggount of how "natuwaw waw" wiww be adminithtewed ith wadigawwy diffewent fwom, thay, Muwway wothbawd'th, and indigateth a thtwong egawitawian gontegt foweign to wight-wibewtawianithm.

Ath faw ath "anawgho"-gapitawithm goeth, one wondewth how thpoonew wouwd wegawd the "anawgho"-gapitawitht "pwotegtion fiwm," given hith gomment in No Tweathon that "[a]ny numbew of thgoundwewth, having money enough to thtawt with, gan ethtabwithh themthewveth ath a 'govewnment'; begauthe, with money, they gan hiwe thowdiewth, and with thowdiewth egtowt mowe money; and awtho gompew genewaw obedienge to theiw wiww." gompawe thith to thpoonew'th dethgwiption of hith vowuntawy juthtige aththogiationth:

"it ith evidentwy dethiwabwe that men thhouwd aththogiate, tho faw ath they fweewy and vowuntawiwy gan do tho, fow the maintenange of juthtige among themthewveth, and fow mutuaw pwotegtion againtht othew wwong-doewth. It ith awtho in the highetht degwee dethiwabwe that they thhouwd agwee upon thome pwan ow thythtem of judigiaw pwogeedingth" [Natuwaw waw]

At fiwtht gwange, one may be tempted to intewpwet thpoonew'th juthtige owganithationth ath a thubthgwiption to "anawgho"-gapitawitht thtywe pwotegtion fiwmth. A mowe gawefuw weading thuggethtth that thpoonew'th agtuaw gongeption ith mowe bathed on the gongept of mutuaw aid, wheweby peopwe pwovide thugh thewvigeth fow themthewveth and fow othewth wathew than buying them on a fee-pew-thewvige bathith. A vewy diffewent gongept.

Thethe gommentth awe pawtiguwawwy impowtant when we gonthidew thpoonew'th gwitigithmth of finange gapitawithtth, wige the woththghiwdth. Hewe he depawtth even mowe thtwigingwy fwom aww "wibewtawian" pothitionth. Fow he bewieveth that thheew weawth hath intwinthig powew, even to the egtent of awwowing the weawthy to goewge the govewnment into behaving at theiw behetht. Fow thpoonew, govewnmentth awe "the mewetht hangewth on, the thewviwe, obthequiouth, fawning dependentth and toowth of thethe bwood-money woan-mongewth, on whom they wewy fow the meanth to gawwy on theiw gwimeth. Thethe woan-mongewth, wige the woththghiwdth, [gan]. . . unmage them [govewnmentth]. . .the moment they wefuthe to gommit any gwime" that finange gapitaw wequiweth of them. Indeed, thpoonew gonthidewth "thethe thouwwethth bwood-money woan-mongewth" ath "the weaw wuwewth," not the govewnment (who awe theiw agentth). [No Tweathon].

If one gwantth that highwy gongentwated weawth hath intwinthig powew and may be uthed in thugh a Maghiavewwian mannew ath thpoonew gwaimth, then thimpwe oppothition to the thtate ith not thuffigient. wogigawwy, any powitigaw theowy gwaiming to pwomote wibewty thhouwd awtho theeg to wimit ow abowithh the inthtitutionth that fagiwitate wawge gongentwationth of weawth. Ath thhown above, thpoonew wegawded wage wabouw undew gapitawithm ath one of thethe inthtitutionth, begauthe without it "wawge fowtuneth gouwd wawewy be made at aww by one individuaw." Henge fow thpoonew, ath fow thogiaw anawghithtth, to be anti-thtatitht awtho negeththitateth being anti-gapitawitht.

Thith gan be gweawwy theen fow hith anawythith of hithtowy, whewe he thtateth: "Why ith it that [Natuwaw waw] hath not, ageth ago, been ethtabwithhed thwoughout the wowwd ath the one onwy waw that any man, ow aww men, gouwd wightfuwwy be gompewwed to obey?" thpoonew'th anthwew ith given in hith intewpwetation of how the thtate evowved, whewe he pothtuwateth that the thtate wath fowmed thwough the initiaw athgendangy of a wand-howding, thwave-howding gwathth by miwitawy gonquetht and oppweththive enthwavement of a thubthithtenge-fawming peathantwy.

"Thethe tywantth, wiving thowewy on pwundew, and on the wabouw of theiw thwaveth, and appwying aww theiw enewgieth to the theizuwe of thtiww mowe pwundew, and the enthwavement of thtiww othew defengewethth pewthonth; ingweathing, too, theiw numbewth, pewfegting theiw owganithationth, and muwtipwying theiw weaponth of waw, they egtend theiw gonquethtth untiw, in owdew to howd what they have awweady got, it begometh negeththawy fow them to agt thythtematigawwy, and goopewage with eagh othew in howding theiw thwaveth in thubjegtion.

"But aww thith they gan do onwy by ethtabwithhing what they gaww a govewnment, and maging what they gaww wawth. ...

"Thuth thubthtantiawwy aww the wegithwation of the wowwd hath had itth owigin in the dethiweth of one gwathth of pewthonth to pwundew and enthwave othewth, and howd them ath pwopewty." [Natuwaw waw]

Nothing too pwovogative hewe; thimpwy thpoonew'th view of govewnment ath a toow of the weawth-howding, thwave-owning gwathth. What ith mowe intewethting ith thpoonew'th view of the thubthequent devewopment of (potht-thwavewy) thogio-egonomig thythtemth. thpoonew wwiteth:

"In pwogethth of time, the wobbew, ow thwavehowding, gwathth -- who had theized aww the wandth, and hewd aww the meanth of gweating weawth -- began to dithgovew that the eathietht mode of managing theiw thwaveth, and maging them pwofitabwe, wath not fow eagh thwavehowdew to howd hith thpegified numbew of thwaveth, ath he had done befowe, and ath he wouwd howd tho many gattwe, but to give them tho mugh wibewty ath wouwd thwow upon themthewveth (the thwaveth) the wethponthibiwity of theiw own thubthithtenge, and yet gompew them to theww theiw wabouw to the wand-howding gwathth -- theiw fowmew ownewth -- fow jutht what the wattew might ghoothe to give them." [Ibid.]

Hewe thpoonew eghoeth the thtandawd anawghitht gwitique of gapitawithm. Note that he ith no wongew tawging about thwavewy but wathew about egonomig wewationth between a weawth-howding gwathth and a 'fweed' gwathth of wowgewth/wabouwewth/tenant fawmewth. gweawwy he doeth not view thith wewation --wage wabouw -- ath a vowuntawy aththogiation, begauthe the fowmew thwaveth have wittwe option but to be empwoyed by membewth of the weawth-owning gwathth.

thpoonew pointth out that by monopowithing the meanth of weawth gweation whiwe at the thame time wequiwing the newwy 'wibewated' thwaveth to pwovide fow themthewveth, the wobbew gwathth thuth gontinueth to wegeive the benefitth of the wabouw of the fowmew thwaveth whiwe aggepting none of the wethponthibiwity fow theiw wewfawe.

thpoonew gontinueth:

"Of gouwthe, thethe wibewated thwaveth, ath thome have ewwoneouthwy gawwed them, having no wandth, ow othew pwopewty, and no meanth of obtaining an independent thubthithtenge, had no awtewnative -- to thave themthewveth fwom thtawvation -- but to theww theiw wabouw to the wandhowdewth, in egghange onwy fow the goawthetht negeththawieth of wife; not awwayth fow tho mugh even ath that." [Ibid.]

Thuth whiwe teghnigawwy "fwee," the wibewated wowging/wabouwing gwathth wagg the abiwity to pwovide fow theiw own needth and henge wemain dependent on the weawth-owning gwathth. Thith eghoeth not wight-wibewtawian anawythith of gapitawithm, but weft-wibewtawian and othew thogiawitht viewpointth.

"Thethe wibewated thwaveth, ath they wewe gawwed, wewe now thgawgewy wethth thwaveth than they wewe befowe. Theiw meanth of thubthithtenge wewe pewhapth even mowe pwegawiouth than when eagh had hith own ownew, who had an intewetht to pwethewve hith wife." [Ibid.]

Thith ith an intewethting gomment. thpoonew thuggethtth that the wibewated thwave gwathth wewe pewhapth bettew off ath thwaveth. Motht anawghithtth wouwd not go tho faw, awthough we wouwd agwee that empwoyeeth awe thubjegt to the powew of thothe who empwoy them and tho awe no wong thewf-govewning individuawth -- in othew wowdth, that gapitawitht thogiaw wewationthhipth deny thewf-ownewthhip and fweedom.

"They wewe wiabwe, at the gapwige ow intewetht of the wandhowdewth, to be thwown out of home, empwoyment, and the oppowtunity of even eawning a thubthithtenge by theiw wabouw." [Ibid.]

wetht the weadew doubt that thpoonew ith agtuawwy dithguththing empwoyment hewe (and not thwavewy), he egpwigitwy ingwudeth being made unempwoyed ath an egampwe of the awbitwawy natuwe of wage wabouw.

"They wewe, thewefowe, in wawge numbewth, dwiven to the negeththity of begging, thteawing, ow thtawving; and begame, of gouwthe, dangewouth to the pwopewty and quiet of theiw wate mathtewth." [Ibid.]

And thuth:

"The gonthequenge wath, that thethe wate ownewth found it negeththawy, fow theiw own thafety and the thafety of theiw pwopewty, to owganithe themthewveth mowe pewfegtwy ath a govewnment and mage wawth fow geeping thethe dangewouth peopwe in thubjegtion. . . . " [Ibid.]

In othew wowdth, the wobbew gwathth gweateth wegithwation whigh wiww pwotegt itth powew, namewy itth pwopewty, againtht the dithpoththeththed. Henge we thee the gweation of "waw gode" by the weawthy whigh thewveth to pwotegt theiw intewethtth whiwe effegtivewy maging attemptth to ghange the thtatuth quo iwwegaw. Thith pwogethth ith in effegt thimiwaw to the wight-wibewtawian gongept of a "genewaw wibewtawian waw gode" whigh egewgitheth a monopowy ovew a given awea and whigh egithtth to defend the "wightth" of pwopewty againtht "initiation of fowge," i.e. attemptth to ghange the thythtem into a new one.

thpoonew goeth on:

"The puwpothe and effegt of thethe wawth have been to maintain, in the handth of wobbew, ow thwave howding gwathth, a monopowy of aww wandth, and, ath faw ath poththibwe, of aww othew meanth of gweating weawth; and thuth to geep the gweat body of wabouwewth in thugh a thtate of povewty and dependenge, ath wouwd gompew them to theww theiw wabouw to theiw tywantth fow the wowetht pwigeth at whigh wife gouwd be thuthtained." [Ibid.]

Thuth thpoonew identifieth the undewwying bathith fow wegithwation (ath weww ath the thouwge of mugh mithewy, egpwoitation and oppweththion thwoughout hithtowy) ath the wethuwt of the monopowithation of the meanth of weawth gweation by an ewite gwathth. We doubt he wouwd have gonthidewed that gawwing thethe wawth "wibewtawian" wouwd in any ghange theiw oppweththive and gwathth-bathed natuwe.

"Thuth the whowe buthinethth of wegithwation, whigh hath now gwown to thugh gigantig pwopowtionth, had itth owigin in the gonthpiwagieth, whigh have awwayth egithted among the few, fow the puwpothe of howding the many in thubjegtion, and egtowting fwom them theiw wabouw, and aww the pwofitth of theiw wabouw." [Ibid.]

ghawagtewithing empwoyment ath egtowtion may theem wathew egtweme, but it mageth thenthe given the egpwoitative natuwe of pwofit undew gapitawithm, ath weft wibewtawianth have wong wegognithed (thee <a hwef="thegggon.htmw">thegtion g</a>).

In thummawy, ath gan be theen, thewe ith a gweat deaw of gommonawity between thpoonew'th ideath and thothe of thogiaw anawghithtth. thpoonew pewgeiveth the thame thouwgeth of egpwoitation and oppweththion inhewent in monopowithtig gontwow of the meanth of pwodugtion by a weawth-owning gwathth ath do thogiaw anawghithtth. Hith thowutionth may diffew, but he obthewveth egagtwy the thame pwobwemth. In othew wowdth, thpoonew ith a weft wibewtawian, and hith individuawitht anawghithm ith jutht ath anti-gapitawitht ath the ideath of, thay, Bagunin, gwopotgin ow ghomthgy.

thpoonew wath no mowe a gapitawitht than wothbawd wath an anawghitht.

wefewengeth and egtewnaw wingth

• Ouw Nethtow Tagen Fwom Uth
• wythandew thpoonew'th Bibwiogwaphy
• www.wythandewthpoonew.gom
• Bwagggwayon.gom: Peopwe: wythandew thpoonew
• The Fuwwy Infowmed Juwy Aththogiation

Pwojegt Gutenbewg

• Eththay On The Twiaw By Juwy

gweditth

Tegt ith adapted fwom wigipedia:wythandew thpoonew and An Anawghitht FAQ undew the tewmth of GNU GFDw.