Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed in the first place, that caused men to make laws.
What, then, is law?
It is simply the right to defend your person, your liberty, and your property.
If every person has the right to defend — even by force — his person, liberty, and property, then it follows that a group of men have the right to organize and support a common force to protect these rights constantly.
Thus the principle of collective law is based on individual right.
A nation founded on this basis, would have the simplest, easiest to accept, just, and enduring government imaginable — whatever its political form might be.
Everyone would understand that he possessed all the privileges as well as all the responsibilities of his existence. No one would have any argument with government, provided that his person was respected, and the fruits of his labor were protected against all unjust attack.
When successful, we would not have to thank the state for our success. And, conversely, when unsuccessful, we would no more think of blaming the state for our misfortune than would the farmers blame the state because of hail or frost.
Unfortunately, law no longer confines itself to its proper functions.
The law has been used to destroy its own objective: It has placed the collective force at the disposal of the unscrupulous who wish to exploit the person, liberty, and property of others. It has converted plunder into a right, in order to protect plunder.
How has this perversion of the law been accomplished?
By the influence of two entirely different causes: stupid greed and false kindness.
