--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For everybody has a natural right to…" description: "\"For everybody has a natural right to defend his own person and property against aggressors, but also to go to the assistance and defence of everybody e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a81/lysander-spooner-3260_aggressors_for-everybody-has-a-natural-right-to-def_657622.jpg" --- # For everybody has a natural right to defend his own person… ![“For everybody has a natural right to defend his own person and property against aggressors, but also to go to the assistance and defence of everybody else, whose person or property is invaded. The natural right of each individual to defend his own person and property against an aggressor, and to…” quote by Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a81/lysander-spooner-3260_aggressors_for-everybody-has-a-natural-right-to-def_657622.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a81/lysander-spooner-3260_aggressors_for-everybody-has-a-natural-right-to-def_657622.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a81/lysander-spooner-3260_aggressors_for-everybody-has-a-natural-right-to-def_657622.jpg) > “For everybody has a natural right to defend his own person and property against aggressors, but also to go to the assistance and defence of everybody else, whose person or property is invaded. The natural right of each individual to defend his own person and property against an aggressor, and to go to the assistance and defence of every one else whose person or property is invaded, is a right without which men could not exist on earth.” [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Each person has a fundamental right to protect themselves and their belongings, and also a duty to help others under attack. **In simple terms:** Everyone can defend themselves and must aid others when threatened. Key Takeaway Protect yourself and assist others. Themes rights self‑defense solidarity social contract Mood serious principled Type ethical political When to use this quote - personal security - community safety - legal frameworks - human rights advocacy Key Concepts natural law individualism mutual aid Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance personal defense with collective responsibility? - When should intervention be mandatory? A Different Perspective May conflict arise when defining “aggressor” versus “defender.” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Citizenship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizenship/) [Defence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defence/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) ## Related quotes > [Each of us has a natural right, from God, to defend his person, his liberty, and his property.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/each-of-us-has-a-natural-right-from-god-to-defend-his-person-his/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [Whoever uses force without Right ... puts himself into a state of War with those, against whom he uses it, and in that state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/whoever-uses-force-without-right-puts-himself-into-a-state-of-war/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [What good was owning the world when he’d have no choice except to defend himself against every person in it? Personally, he’d rather be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/what-good-was-owning-the-world-when-he-d-have-no-choice-except-to/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [According to the State of Florida, the person with the gun has the right to defend him or herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/according-to-the-state-of-florida-the-person-with-the-gun-has-the/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [I'm in favour of a multi-polar world. I believe that every country has the right to defend its own interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/i-m-in-favour-of-a-multi-polar-world-i-believe-that-every-country-has/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [A covenant not to defend myself from force by force is always void. For ... no man can transfer or lay down his Right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-covenant-not-to-defend-myself-from-force-by-force-is-always-void/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [If America has the right to target Osama bin Laden, or terrorists, of course Israel has the right to defend itself from terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/if-america-has-the-right-to-target-osama-bin-laden-or-terrorists-of/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [I do believe in the right to carry, and I believe in the right to defend myself and my family -- whether it's from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-ernst/i-do-believe-in-the-right-to-carry-and-i-believe-in-the-right-to/) [Joni Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-ernst/) > [Israel has the right to defend itself, especially against the huge numbers of Iranian long-range missiles pouring into the Gaza Strip from Iran via…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronen-bergman/israel-has-the-right-to-defend-itself-especially-against-the-huge/) [Ronen Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronen-bergman/) > [I have always thought that Israel, as an independent and sovereign nation, had a right to defend itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-nickles/i-have-always-thought-that-israel-as-an-independent-and-sovereign/) [Don Nickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-nickles/) > [The right to defend oneself is something that should never require us to be on a list, it should never require us to pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/the-right-to-defend-oneself-is-something-that-should-never-require-us/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [“Anybody have the right to defend himself by carrying a gun but nobody have the right to kill others because he is carrying a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hisham-fawzi/anybody-have-the-right-to-defend-himself-by-carrying-a-gun-but-nobody/) [Hisham Fawzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hisham-fawzi/) > [Everybody certainly has the right to defend themselves. That's not to say that they should defy common sense by avoiding or diffusing confrontation. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-seagal/everybody-certainly-has-the-right-to-defend-themselves-that-s-not-to/) [Steven Seagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-seagal/) > [There is a fundamental principle. People have the right to defend their country from foreign occupiers, and people have the right to defend their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-finkelstein/there-is-a-fundamental-principle-people-have-the-right-to-defend/) [Norman Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-finkelstein/) > [If every person has the right to defend - even by force - his person, his liberty, and his property, then it follows that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/if-every-person-has-the-right-to-defend-even-by-force-his-person-his/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) ## More by Lysander Spooner > [Slavery, if it can be legalized at all, can be legalized only by positive legislation. Natural law gives it no aid. Custom imparts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/slavery-if-it-can-be-legalized-at-all-can-be-legalized-only-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [The greatest of all crimes are the wars that are carried on by governments, to plunder, enslave, and destroy mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-greatest-of-all-crimes-are-the-wars-that-are-carried-on-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Those who deny the right of a jury to protect an individual in resisting an unjust law of the government, deny him all defence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/those-who-deny-the-right-of-a-jury-to-protect-an-individual-in/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [I was put into jail as I was going to the shoemaker's to get a shoe which was mended. When I was let out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/i-was-put-into-jail-as-i-was-going-to-the-shoemaker-s-to-get-a-shoe/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [The single despot stands out in the face of all men, and says: I am the State: My will is law: I am your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-single-despot-stands-out-in-the-face-of-all-men-and-says-i-am-the/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [The Rothschilds, and that class of money-lenders of whom they are the representatives and agents - men who never think of lending a shilling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-rothschilds-and-that-class-of-money-lenders-of-whom-they-are-the/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Who are ever taxed? Individuals only. Who have property that can be taxed? Individuals only. Who can give their consent to be taxed? Individuals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/who-are-ever-taxed-individuals-only-who-have-property-that-can-be/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [There can be no criminal intent in resisting injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/there-can-be-no-criminal-intent-in-resisting-injustice/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Practically and commercially speaking, a dollar is not necessarily a specific thing, made of silver, or gold, or any other single metal, or substance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/practically-and-commercially-speaking-a-dollar-is-not-necessarily-a/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [If the jury have no right to judge of the justice of a law of the government, they plainly can do nothing to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/if-the-jury-have-no-right-to-judge-of-the-justice-of-a-law-of-the/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [If it be said that the consent of the strongest party in a nation, is all that is necessary to justify the establishment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/if-it-be-said-that-the-consent-of-the-strongest-party-in-a-nation-is/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [In reality there is no such thing as an inflation of prices, relatively to gold. There is such a thing as a depreciated paper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/in-reality-there-is-no-such-thing-as-an-inflation-of-prices/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [And there is no difference, in principle - but only in degree - between political and chattel slavery. The former, no less than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/and-there-is-no-difference-in-principle-but-only-in-degree-between/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [The Constitution has no inherent authority or obligation. It has no authority or obligation at all, unless as a contract between man and man.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-constitution-has-no-inherent-authority-or-obligation-it-has-no/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [These so-called governments are in reality only great bands of robbers and murderers, organized, disciplined, and constantly on the alert.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/these-so-called-governments-are-in-reality-only-great-bands-of/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) [Explore all 135 Lysander Spooner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) ## More Aggressors quotes > [Azerbaijan unleashed the war, and was defeated in that war; Azerbaijan asked for truce (including from the Commander of Karabakh's forces) and later started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serzh-sargsyan/azerbaijan-unleashed-the-war-and-was-defeated-in-that-war-azerbaijan/) [Serzh Sargsyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serzh-sargsyan/) > [There is no shame in being a survivor of sexual violence. The shame is on the aggressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/there-is-no-shame-in-being-a-survivor-of-sexual-violence-the-shame-is/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [A man's excellence is like that of water; It benefits all things without striving; It takes to the low places shunned by men. Water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/a-man-s-excellence-is-like-that-of-water-it-benefits-all-things/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/in-our-own-native-land-in-defense-of-the-freedom-that-is-our/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [In my experience of fights and fighting, it is invariably the aggressor who keeps getting everything wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/in-my-experience-of-fights-and-fighting-it-is-invariably-the/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [Could anyone in his right mind speak seriously of any limited nuclear war? It should be quite clear that the aggressor's actions will instantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitriy-ustinov/could-anyone-in-his-right-mind-speak-seriously-of-any-limited-nuclear/) Dmitriy Ustinov > [I'm sure if you were a Bosnian during the war, you would wish to kill Serbs. Just because it is the opposite of you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspar-noe/i-m-sure-if-you-were-a-bosnian-during-the-war-you-would-wish-to-kill/) [Gaspar Noe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaspar-noe/) > [Let us not ignore the truth among ourselves ... politically we are the aggressors and they defend themselves... The country is theirs, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ben-gurion/let-us-not-ignore-the-truth-among-ourselves-politically-we-are-the/) [David Ben-Gurion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ben-gurion/) > [Being tolerant does not mean acquiescing to the intolerable; it does not mean covering up disrespect; it does not mean coddling the aggressor or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-acquiescing-to-the-intolerable-it-does/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [If we as a society want to cure unemployment, raise real wages, and in other ways improve our economy, we will base public policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-block/if-we-as-a-society-want-to-cure-unemployment-raise-real-wages-and-in/) [Walter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-block/) > [We must prevent a criminal understanding between the Fascist aggressors and the British and French imperialist clique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/we-must-prevent-a-criminal-understanding-between-the-fascist/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) > [Those who plead their cause in the absence of an opponent can invent to their heart's content, can pontificate without taking into account the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-de-pizan/those-who-plead-their-cause-in-the-absence-of-an-opponent-can-invent/) [Christine de Pizan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-de-pizan/) > [Our arms must be mighty ... ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/our-arms-must-be-mighty-ready-for-instant-action-so-that-no-potential/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [At the U.N., any nation that fights back is censored as an "aggressor."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/at-the-u-n-any-nation-that-fights-back-is-censored-as-an-aggressor/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [In the end, the aggressors always destroy themselves, making way for others who know how to cooperate and get along. Life is much less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritjof-capra/in-the-end-the-aggressors-always-destroy-themselves-making-way-for/) [Fritjof Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritjof-capra/) Browse all 89 Aggressors quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For everybody has a natural right to defend his own person and property against aggressors, but also to go to the assistance and defence of everybody else, whose person or property is invaded. 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