--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is self-evident that no number of men…" description: "\"It is self-evident that no number of men, by conspiring, and calling themselves a government, can acquire any rights whatever over other men, or other ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/lysander-spooner-3260_acquire_it-is-self-evident-that-no-number-of-men_3234587.jpg" --- # It is self-evident that no number of men, by conspiring… ![“It is self-evident that no number of men, by conspiring, and calling themselves a government, can acquire any rights whatever over other men, or other men's property, which they had not before, as individuals. And whenever any number of men, calling themselves a government, do anything to another…” quote by Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/lysander-spooner-3260_acquire_it-is-self-evident-that-no-number-of-men_3234587.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/lysander-spooner-3260_acquire_it-is-self-evident-that-no-number-of-men_3234587.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/lysander-spooner-3260_acquire_it-is-self-evident-that-no-number-of-men_3234587.jpg) > “It is self-evident that no number of men, by conspiring, and calling themselves a government, can acquire any rights whatever over other men, or other men's property, which they had not before, as individuals. And whenever any number of men, calling themselves a government, do anything to another man, or to his property, which they had no right to do as individuals, they thereby declare themselves trespassers, robbers, or murderers, according to the nature of their acts.” [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. Government authority originates from individual consent; without it, state actions become illegitimate violations of personal rights. **In simple terms:** Governments lack rights they didn't have before. Key Takeaway Demand accountability and consent. Themes political philosophy rights government legitimacy Mood critical defiant Type political philosophical When to use this quote - activism - legal reform - civil disobedience - community organizing Key Concepts social contract natural rights property state power Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms ensure genuine consent? - How can individuals protect rights against state overreach? A Different Perspective Assumes all individuals understand and can consent to complex governance structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acquire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquire/) [Another man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/another-man/) [Calling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calling/) [Conspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conspiring/) [Declare Trespassers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/declare-trespassers-3794351/) [Evident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evident/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individuals Declare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individuals-declare-6132523/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Conspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-conspiring-1792655/) [Murderer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murderer/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Rights Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-men-1157211/) [Robbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robbers/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) ## Related quotes > [It is self-evident that no number of men, by conspiring, and calling themselves a government, can acquire any rights whatever over other men, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/it-is-self-evident-that-no-number-of-men-by-conspiring-and-calling/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [ We are looking at the potential of an armed raid or a forcible raid after February 22nd \[2017\], when the Army Corps said that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-iron-eyes/we-are-looking-at-the-potential-of-an-armed-raid-or-a-forcible-raid/) [Chase Iron Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chase-iron-eyes/) > [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/) > [ The purpose and effect of \[land titles\] have been to maintain, in the hands of robber, or slave holding class, a monopoly of all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-purpose-and-effect-of-land-titles-have-been-to-maintain-in-the/) [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/) > [And the men who loan money to governments, so called, for the purpose of enabling the latter to rob, enslave, and murder their people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/and-the-men-who-loan-money-to-governments-so-called-for-the-purpose/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [“Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soujourner-truth/then-that-little-man-in-black-there-he-says-women-can-t-have-as-much/) [Soujourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soujourner-truth/) > [Workers in the bourgeois countries must fight for equal rights for men and women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadezhda-krupskaya/workers-in-the-bourgeois-countries-must-fight-for-equal-rights-for/) [Nadezhda Krupskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadezhda-krupskaya/) > [We have enshrined in our founding documents and promoted the fundamental truth, all around the world, that the rights of all men, women and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/we-have-enshrined-in-our-founding-documents-and-promoted-the/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [As a man develops, he places a greater value upon his own rights. Liberty becomes a grander and diviner thing. As he values his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-a-man-develops-he-places-a-greater-value-upon-his-own-rights/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Women should have equal rights to men, every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-abraham/women-should-have-equal-rights-to-men-every-day/) [Farrah Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-abraham/) > [ \[A ruler is merely\] the trustee of the rights of other men and he must always stand in dread of having in some way… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/a-ruler-is-merely-the-trustee-of-the-rights-of-other-men-and-he-must/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [True liberty acknowledges and defends the equal rights of all men, and all nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/true-liberty-acknowledges-and-defends-the-equal-rights-of-all-men-and/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [Women today should have the same rights as men. And all citizens should have the right to speak their minds without fear of imprisonment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-khashoggi/women-today-should-have-the-same-rights-as-men-and-all-citizens/) [Jamal Khashoggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-khashoggi/) > [“The pretended rights of these theorists are all extremes: and in proportion as they are metaphysically true, they are morally and politically false. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/the-pretended-rights-of-these-theorists-are-all-extremes-and-in/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) ## 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 Acquire quotes > [Most people seek after what they do not possess and are enslaved by the very things they want to acquire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-sadat/most-people-seek-after-what-they-do-not-possess-and-are-enslaved-by/) [Anwar Sadat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-sadat/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Humility is an elusive virtue. The more we pursue it - and the more we seem to acquire it - the more we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-aquilina/humility-is-an-elusive-virtue-the-more-we-pursue-it-and-the-more-we/) [Mike Aquilina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-aquilina/) > [Acquire worldly wisdom and adjust your behavior accordingly. If your new behavior gives you a little temporary unpopularity with your peer group then to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/acquire-worldly-wisdom-and-adjust-your-behavior-accordingly-if-your/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [This was Shakespeare's form ; Who walk'd in every path of human life, Felt every passion ; and to all mankind Doth now, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-akenside/this-was-shakespeare-s-form-who-walk-d-in-every-path-of-human-life/) [Mark Akenside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-akenside/) > [Wasn't Saddam destroyed? Wasn't Gaddafi liquidated? Didn't Milosevic go to the Hague? All true. But Stalin survived. Kim Jong-un isn't doing too badly, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/wasn-t-saddam-destroyed-wasn-t-gaddafi-liquidated-didn-t-milosevic-go/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [The best way for women to acquire knowledge is from conversation with a father, a brother, or a friend, in the way of family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-letitia-barbauld/the-best-way-for-women-to-acquire-knowledge-is-from-conversation-with/) [Anna Letitia Barbauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-letitia-barbauld/) > [Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would do anything, believe anything in order to acquire it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/have-you-ever-wanted-something-so-badly-that-you-would-do-anything/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [Ballet is pure and demands that you serve something larger than yourself, whether it be beauty or art, or a combination of both. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-martins/ballet-is-pure-and-demands-that-you-serve-something-larger-than/) [Peter Martins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-martins/) > [You can't know it all. No matter how smart you are, no matter how comprehensive your education, no matter how wide ranging your experience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-can-t-know-it-all-no-matter-how-smart-you-are-no-matter-how/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [A better distribution of incomes would increase that efficiency by diverting a great fund of wealth from the useless to the useful members of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/a-better-distribution-of-incomes-would-increase-that-efficiency-by/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [I know well, Monsieur, how much you have to endure in your present duty, and I ask Our Lord to strengthen you in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/i-know-well-monsieur-how-much-you-have-to-endure-in-your-present-duty/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-enemy-s-spies-who-have-come-to-spy-on-us-must-be-sought-out/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [In the late 1950s a major topic under discussion was whether Canada should acquire nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/in-the-late-1950s-a-major-topic-under-discussion-was-whether-canada/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [Shamanism is a path of knowledge, not of faith, and that knowledge cannot come from me or anyone else in this reality. To acquire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/shamanism-is-a-path-of-knowledge-not-of-faith-and-that-knowledge/) [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) [Browse all 1,020 Acquire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is self-evident that no number of men, by conspiring, and calling themselves a government, can acquire any rights whatever over other men, or other men's property, which they had not before, as individuals. And whenever any number of men, calling themselves a government, do anything to another man, or to his property, which they had no right to do as individuals, they thereby declare themselves trespassers, robbers, or murderers, according to the nature of their acts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lysander Spooner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/it-is-self-evident-that-no-number-of-men-by-conspiring-and-calling-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acquire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/it-is-self-evident-that-no-number-of-men-by-conspiring-and-calling-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/lysander-spooner-3260_acquire_it-is-self-evident-that-no-number-of-men_3234587.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/lysander-spooner-3260_acquire_it-is-self-evident-that-no-number-of-men_3234587.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/lysander-spooner-3260_acquire_it-is-self-evident-that-no-number-of-men_3234587.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is self-evident that no number of men, by conspiring, and calling themselves a government, can acquire…” — Lysander Spooner", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lysander Spooner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is self-evident that no number...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/it-is-self-evident-that-no-number-of-men-by-conspiring-and-calling-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/it-is-self-evident-that-no-number-of-men-by-conspiring-and-calling-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```