No Treason: The Constitution Of No Authority

by Lysander Spooner (Author)

278 ratings

ISBN-13: 978-1169529113

ISBN-10: 1169529119

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This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kessinger Publishing, LLC (September 10, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 36 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1169529119
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1169529113
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.6 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 0.25 x 11.02 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #283,670 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #130 in Constitutional Law (Books)
- #244 in Constitutions (Books)
- #396 in General Constitutional Law

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I May Never Vote Again

Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2016

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Every now and then you read one of those books that you know will stick with you for years to come. It will shape and form your thoughts. There will be a lasting impression that will aid in your future decision-making and perceptions. Unexpectedly, for me, that is "No Treason".

If you love Rousseau's "Social Contract" you will hate this book; for they are emphatically opposed.

Spooner, a rabid abolitionist, affixes his argument on the crux that not allowing the South to uncouple itself peacefully from the Union, defies all that a voluntary government and Constitution ought to be and have been. For if one cannot leave the union, it is no union at all, but slavery in and of itself.

The remainder of the book is not focused on Civil War issues. It is an interesting assessment that the Constitution is not a legitimate contract, for no populous has "signed" it or agreed to its terms. The People are offered two choices, the ballot (which is highly rigged) or the bullet. It makes men vote for themselves and against others. One man votes to take things from his neighbors. The other man votes in defense of his property.

Ultimately, money is power. The first thing governments do when their authority is denied is hire soldiers to subdue those who refuse to pay. He argues that "governments" don't really exist. At least not in the that we believe because real governments are only made up of a few people.

Of course, I had plenty of questions throughout. If he believes direct authorization from citizens is better than representatives, then I'm not sure how a nation would proceed with urgent decisions in a timely manner. He speaks against secret ballots, but at the same time Unions have proven that with open ballots, voters face intimidation and physical threat. How would/does an entire nation "sign" a contract; ie- Constitution? How would a Constitution become legitimate?

Chapter 8 is by far the most thought-provoking in the book. Spooner details the dark secrets of bankers controlling governments. He specifically calls out the Rothschilds; this is 140 years ago and there is still talk of the Rothschilds owning the world. He explains the mechanics of money-lending to nations. Rulers are ultimately held accountable to the bankers. Rulers can ascend or be deposed at the behest of the bankers. If a ruler loses credit and the investment does not bring forth the interest guaranteed; the ruler is handed over to his own people as a beggar is dismissed. In return of good investments, certain industries are allowed monopolies and unequal taxation. The burden falls to the poor and the unconnected.

Representatives are merely tools. There is no true justice. Only if the investment proves to pay off is justice then used as propaganda. Spooner explains that the North had no intentions in freeing the slaves. Since the South wouldn't bend to their market manipulations, the North in turn used the slaves against them. At the end of the day, "there was no difference of principle- but only of degree- between the slavery they boast they have abolished, and the slavery they were fighting to preserve; for all restraints upon men's liberty, not necessary for the simple maintenance of justice, are of the nature of slavery, and differ from each other only in degree."

It is a fantastically thought-provoking read. Disclaimer- if anyone can possibly pervert Spooner's views on the Civil War into being "racist" and in support of slavery; there is no word for them but dense.

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devon

IF THEY TAUGHT LYSANDER SPOONER IN SKOOL. "government" WOULD HAVE NO POWER.

Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2020

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Lysander Spooner (1870)

“Those who are capable of tyranny are capable of perjury to sustain it.”

“...only those who have the will and the power to shoot down their fellow men, are the real rulers in this, as in all other (so-called) civilized countries; for by no others will civilized men be robbed, or enslaved.”
― Lysander Spooner, No Treason: The Constitution of No Authority

"So these villains, who call themselves governments, well understand that their power rests primarily upon stolen money. With money they can hire soldiers, and with soldiers extort money. And, when their authority is denied, the first use they always make of money, is to hire soldiers to kill or subdue all who refuse them more money." -Lysander Spooner.

-The payment of taxes, being compulsory, of course furnishes no evidence that any one voluntarily supports the Constitution.

It is true that the theory of our Constitution is, that all taxes are paid voluntarily; that our government is a mutual insurance company, voluntarily entered into by the people with each other; that each man makes a free and purely voluntary contract with all others who are parties to the Constitution, to pay so much money for so much protection, the same as he does with any other insurance company; and that he is just as free not to be protected, and not to pay any tax, as he is to pay a tax, and be protected.

But this theory of our government is wholly different from the practical fact. The fact is that the government, like a highwayman, says to a man: Your money, or your life. And many, if not most, taxes are paid under the compulsion of that threat.

The government does not, indeed, waylay a man in a lonely place, spring upon him from the road side, and, holding a pistol to his head, proceed to rifle his pockets. But the robbery is none the less a robbery on that account; and it is far more dastardly and shameful.

The highwayman takes solely upon himself the responsibility, danger, and crime of his own act. He does not pretend that he has any rightful claim to your money, or that he intends to use it for your own benefit. He does not pretend to be anything but a robber. He has not acquired impudence enough to profess to be merely a “protector,” and that he takes men’s money against their will, merely to enable him to “protect” those infatuated travellers, who feel perfectly able to protect themselves, or do not appreciate his peculiar system of protection. He is too sensible a man to make such professions as these. Furthermore, having taken your money, he leaves you, as you wish him to do. He does not persist in following you on the road, against your will; assuming to be your rightful “sovereign,” on account of the “protection” he affords you. He does not keep “protecting” you, by commanding you to bow down and serve him; by requiring you to do this, and forbidding you to do that; by robbing you of more money as often as he finds it for his interest or pleasure to do so; and by branding you as a rebel, a traitor, and an enemy to your country, and shooting you down without mercy, if you dispute his authority, or resist his demands. He is too much of a gentleman to be guilty of such impostures, and insults, and villanies as these. In short, he does not, in addition to robbing you, attempt to make you either his dupe or his slave.

The proceedings of those robbers and murderers, who call themselves “the government,” are directly the opposite of these of the single highwayman.

In the first place, they do not, like him, make themselves individually known; or, consequently, take upon themselves personally the responsibility of their acts. On the contrary, they secretly (by secret ballot) designate some one of their number to commit the robbery in their behalf, while they keep themselves practically concealed. They say to the person thus designated:

Go to A— B—, and say to him that “the government” has need of money to meet the expenses of protecting him and his property. If he presumes to say that he has never contracted with us to protect him, and that he wants none of our protection, say to him that that is our business, and not his; that we choose to protect him, whether he desires us to do so or not; and that we demand pay, too, for protecting him. If he dares to inquire who the individuals are, who have thus taken upon themselves the title of “the government,” and who assume to protect him, and demand payment of him, without his having ever made any contract with them, say to him that that, too, is our business, and not his; that we do not choose to make ourselves individually known to him; that we have secretly (by secret ballot) appointed you our agent to give him notice of our demands, and, if he complies with them, to give him, in our name, a receipt that will protect him against any similar demand for the present year. If he refuses to comply, seize and sell enough of his property to pay not only our demands, but all your own expenses and trouble beside.

If he resists the seizure of his property, call upon the bystanders to help you (doubtless some of them will prove to be members of our band). If, in defending his property, he should kill any of our band who are assisting you, capture him at all hazards; charge him (in one of our courts) with murder, convict him, and hang him. If he should call upon his neighbors, or any others who, like him, may be disposed to resist our demands, and they should come in large numbers to his assistance, cry out that they are all rebels and traitors; that “our country” is in danger; call upon the commander of our hired murderers; tell him to quell the rebellion and “save the country,” cost what it may. Tell him to kill all who resist, though they should be hundreds of thousands; and thus strike terror into all others similarly disposed. See that the work of murder is thoroughly done, that we may have no further trouble of this kind hereafter. When these traitors shall have thus been taught our strength and our determination, they will be good loyal citizens for many years, and pay their taxes without a why or a wherefore.

It is under such compulsion as this that taxes, so called, are paid. And how much proof the payment of taxes affords, that the people consent to support “the government,” it needs no further argument to show.

12 people found this helpful

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Gerome G. Torribio

Introduction to a fascinating American Thinker

Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2020

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I was led from other reading about the American Civil War era to sample the works of Lysander Spooner, an influential 19th American "political philospher, essayist, pamphlet writer, Unitarian, abolitionist, individualist anarchist, legal theorist, a member of the socialist First International and entrepreneur..." (Wikipedia). He was a towering figure of whom I heard not a word mentioned in my high school or college classes. On the strength of its content alone, it would merit a 5 start rating. However, the budget paperback version I bought does not give even the date of publication of the original work (1870)--instead, it indicates a copyright date of 2018. Come on, Amazon, I appreciate affordable access to great but lesser known works, but please have your print-on-demand vendors furnish at least an original publication date, or even better, a facsimile of the title page from the work they scanned to reprint.

3 people found this helpful

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James Stanton

Interesting Read

Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2016

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This book while really a booklet proved to be very interesting and thought provoking.

It questions the validity of our Constitution by asking if any of us have actually read and signed it which is of course no, at least the signing part. This calls into question how any of us can be expected to adhere to the Constitution when in all other cases contracts have to be read and signed by both parties. As most of us don't agree with everything our government does, why should we be financially supporting it through forced taxation? While we are told we live in a free country with private property, try not paying your property taxes on your home and see how long it remains yours.

If you enjoy history of governments and how people have been ruled you'll most likely find this an interesting read. Definitely raises questions to ponder.

7 people found this helpful

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André L. C.

Uma leitura instigante e perturbadora.

Reviewed in Brazil on March 29, 2017

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Um livro que nos remete as seguintes perguntas.
Sabemos realmente o que é liberdade?
O que constituí uma nação ou um governo?
Existe realmente o "contrato social"?
Por que pagamos impostos?
Leitura recomendada para todos que sentem que as coisas não "são bem assim" e querem ver o ponto de vista básico e incipiente da nação chamada EUA.

One person found this helpful

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