The laws recognize no obligation on the part of the slave to labor for or serve his master. If he refuse to labor, the law will not interfere to compel him. The master must do his own flogging, as in the case of an ox or a horse.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes that slavery is inherently unjust by illustrating that no individual can be compelled to serve against their will.
Lysander Spooner's quote argues that the legal system does not require a slave to work for their master, highlighting the moral and ethical implications of slavery. By stating that if a slave refuses to labor, the law will not enforce compliance, Spooner reveals the absurdity of ownership over another human being, suggesting that such ownership is as inappropriate as treating humans like animals that can be compelled to work through punishment.
In practice
During a speech on human rights, this quote can illustrate the importance of individual freedom.
The principle that the majority have a right to rule the minority, practically resolves all government into a mere contest between two bodies of men, as to which of them shall be masters, and which of them slaves; a contest, that-however bloody-can, in the nature of things, never be finally closed, so long as man refuses to be a slave.
For a government to declare a vice to be a crime, and to punish it as such, is an attempt to falsify the very nature of things. It is as absurd as it would be to declare truth to be falsehood, or falsehood truth.
And the men who loan money to governments, so called, for the purpose of enabling the latter to rob, enslave, and murder their people, are among the greatest villains that the world has ever seen. And they as much deserve to be hunted and killed (if they cannot otherwise be got rid of) as any slave traders, robbers, or pirates that ever lived.
A married woman has the same natural right to acquire and hold property, and to make all contracts that she is mentally competent to make reasonably, as has a married man, or any other man.
Slavery, if it can be legalized at all, can be legalized only by positive legislation. Natural law gives it no aid. Custom imparts to it no legal sanction.
Those who deny the right of a jury to protect an individual in resisting an unjust law of the government, deny him all defence whatsoever against oppression.
One should always play fairly when one has the winning cards.
So while I can't tell you if bringing a child into this world is the morally-responsible to do, I can say that the future, much like the present, is going to be a whole lot better than you think.
there are worse things than being alone but it often takes decades to realize this and most often when you do it's too late and there's nothing worse than too late
My religion is kindness. _x000D_ A good mind, a good heart, _x000D_ warm feelings these are _x000D_ the most important things.
There is no thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.
How do you know but ev’ry Bird that cuts the airy way, Is an immense world of delight, clos’d by your senses five?
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