Lysander Spooner Quote

"Vices are those acts by which a man harms himself or his property. Crimes are those acts by which one man harms the person or property of another. Vices are simply the errors which a man makes in his search after his own happiness. Unlike crimes, they imply no malice toward others, and no interference with their persons or property. In vices, the very essence of crime—that is, the design to injure the person or property of another—is wanting. It is a maxim of the law that there can be no crime without criminal intent; that is, without the intent to invade the person or property of another. But no one ever practices a vice with any such criminal intent. He practices his vice for his own happiness solely, and not from any malice toward others. Unless this clear distinction between vices and crimes be made and recognized by the laws, there can be on earth no such thing as individual right, liberty, or property, and the corresponding coequal rights of another man to the control of his own person and property."

by:	Lysander Spooner (1808-1887) Political theorist, activist, abolitionist
Source:	Vices are Not Crimes, A Vindication of Moral Liberty (1875)
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Categories:	Alcohol, Corruption, Crime, Drugs, Individual Rights, Justice, Law, Privacy, Prohibition, Property, Protection, Respect, Taxation, Vice, Tobacco
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Very self explanatory, we hold this truth to be self evident (except to the power mongering malefactors).  -- Mike, Norwalk
The greatest Prime Minister in Canadian history put it this way: "The government has no place in the Nation's bedrooms." Canadian law makers need to learn and practise the Spooner quote as well.  -- L. Hanson, Edmonton, Canada
-- John, Denver
And some states have laws against suicide. Let each person be his own and get rid of medicaid and medicare so the government will have absolutely no intersts in anyone's personal habits of choice.  -- cal, lewisville, tx
Drug laws are a perfect example of vices as opposed to crimes. These laws have, however,created lots of jobs, jail constuction, prison guards, drug courts, and thousands of DEA cops to name only a few. When this insane "war on drugs" is finally over, the world will be a far better and more peaceful place.  -- jim k, Austin,Tx
it is always WAR...war on drugs, war on obesity, because people can be gathered together to fight a war...to pay for a war...for it can be forced upon them 'for their own good'. Soon it will be the war on consumption, the war on private property, we already are seeing the war on the rich....  -- Abigail, Newport
Exceptionally sweet fruit today from the Liberty Tree. Freedom under attack by the statists from my youth and brought to a shrieking crescendo by obama and his allies. Vice is an issue between a man and his God, and obama is neither.  -- joe mn, Rochester, MN
The argument is succinct and not bad but I generally think Lysander is as goofy as his name. Under the law as we have it today there is a concept of criminal neglect. If a person fails to maintan machinery or automobile in accordance with standard practice and safety and others are hurt by that negligence he can and, I suggest should, and is held accountable as a criminal. While "he" of course meant no intent, the courts have time and again have found his vice of slovenliness a crime.  -- Waffler, Smith
Hard to argue with such logic. Right on.  -- E Archer, NYC

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