Lysander Spooner: Governments Established Without Consent
“Government is in reality established by the few; and these few assume the consent of all the rest, without any such consent being actually given.” ~ Lysander Spooner
Lysander Spooner is a fascinating yet overlooked figure in 19th century United States history. Spooner, a libertarian anarchist, successfully challenged the Post Office’s monopoly on mail delivery by offering superior mail delivery services at a cheaper cost. In addition, Spooner was one of the few staunch abolitionists who supported the Confederacy during the Civil War, while promoting alternative methods to abolish slavery in the southern U.S.
Spooner’s essay, No Treason, is a thought-provoking piece of work that I highly recommend to anyway who is willing to challenge the way they think about politics and government.
Lysander Spooner’s American Letter Mail Co.