• yarr@lemmy.fmhy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    1 year ago

    To be GOVERNED is to be watched, inspected, spied upon, directed, law-driven, numbered, regulated, enrolled, indoctrinated, preached at, controlled, checked, estimated, valued, censured, commanded, by creatures who have neither the right nor the wisdom nor the virtue to do so. To be GOVERNED is to be at every operation, at every transaction noted, registered, counted, taxed, stamped, measured, numbered, assessed, licensed, authorized, admonished, prevented, forbidden, reformed, corrected, punished. It is, under pretext of public utility, and in the name of the general interest, to be place[d] under contribution, drilled, fleeced, exploited, monopolized, extorted from, squeezed, hoaxed, robbed; then, at the slightest resistance, the first word of complaint, to be repressed, fined, vilified, harassed, hunted down, abused, clubbed, disarmed, bound, choked, imprisoned, judged, condemned, shot, deported, sacrificed, sold, betrayed; and to crown all, mocked, ridiculed, derided, outraged, dishonored. That is government; that is its justice; that is its morality.

    Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, 1851

    I guess he was ahead of his time; able to criticize capitalism before it was invented!

      • yarr@lemmy.fmhy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        8
        ·
        1 year ago

        HAHAHA if you think that’s a wall of text, have a great day. I’ll try and find a shorter quote to totally disprove you next time.