All time Quote by Lysander Spooner
“It cannot be said that the Constitution formed 'the people of the United States,' for all time, into a corporation. It does not speak of 'the people' as a corporation, but as individuals. A corporation does not describe itself as 'we,' nor as 'people,' nor as 'ourselves.' Nor does a corporation, in legal language, have any 'posterity.'”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Individual Liberty, Lysander Spooner, 1855
The Constitution addresses individuals, not a corporate entity, emphasizing personal rights over collective corporate identity.
In simple terms: Constitution protects people, not corporations.
Focus on individual rights.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- court cases
- policy drafting
- civil rights activism
- public discourse
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does corporate language affect civic engagement?
- What safeguards protect individual rights?
Corporate interpretations can dilute personal freedoms.