A man is no less a slave because he is allowed to choose a new master once in a term of years

A man is no less a slave because he is allowed to choose a new master once in a term of years

Lysander Spooner, a 19th-century American political philosopher and abolitionist, was a staunch advocate for individual liberty and the abolition of slavery. He believed that true freedom could only be achieved when individuals were able to make their own choices and decisions without interference from others. In his writings, Spooner often criticized the idea that allowing individuals to choose their own masters made them any less of a slave.

The quote, "A man is no less a slave because he is allowed to choose a new master once in a term of years," encapsulates Spooner's belief that the ability to choose one's oppressor does not negate the fact that one is still under the control and domination of another. In Spooner's view, true freedom could only be achieved when individuals were able to govern themselves and make their own choices without being subject to the authority of others.

Spooner argued that the institution of slavery, whether in the form of chattel slavery or wage labor, was fundamentally unjust because it deprived individuals of their natural rights and autonomy. He believed that individuals had the inherent right to own themselves and to be free from the coercion and control of others. For Spooner, the ability to choose a new master once in a term of years did not change the fact that individuals were still subject to the will and authority of another, and therefore were not truly free.