 Individualism, a reader, edited by George H. Smith and Marilyn Moore, narrated by James Foster. 16. From True Civilization, Josiah Warren True civilization, an immediate necessity in the last ground of hope for mankind. Boston, J. Warren, 1868 The American libertarian Josiah Warren, 1798-1874, was a musician and an inventor before turning to social reform under the influence of Robert Owen. In 1825, Warren moved with his family to New Harmony, Indiana to join the first Owenite community in the United States. Although Warren became disillusioned with some of Owen's ideas, his passion for social reform endured. Warren popularized, if he did not actually coin, the expression of self-sovereignty among American and British individualists, including J. S. Mill. Although commonly called the first American anarchist, Warren never applied that label to himself. In our excerpt from True Civilization, an immediate necessity in the last ground of hope for mankind, we have omitted Warren's discussion of the labor theory of value. We have focused instead on his belief that the self-sovereignty of voluntary individualism is the foundation of a peaceful social order. 1. With all due deference to other judgments, I venture to assert that our present deplorable condition, like that of many other parts of the world, is in consequence of the people in general never having perceived or else having lost sight of the legitimate object of all governments as displayed or implied in the American Declaration of Independence. 2. Every individual of mankind has an inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and it is solely to protect and secure the enjoyment of these rights un molested that governments can properly be instituted among men. In other terms, self-sovereignty is an instinct of every living organism, and it being an instinct cannot be alienated or separated from that organism. It is the instinct of self-preservation the votes of ten thousand men cannot alienate it from a single individual nor could the bayonets of twenty thousand men neutralize it in any one person any more than they could put a stop to the instinct of desire for food in a hungry man. 3. The action of this instinct being involuntary, everyone has the same absolute right to its exercise that he has to his complexion or the forms of his features, to any extent not disturbing another, and it is solely to prevent or restrain such disturbances or encroachments that governments are properly instituted. In still shorter terms, the legitimate and appropriate mission of governments is the defense and protection of the inalienable right of sovereignty in every individual within his or her own sphere. 7. The instinct of self-preservation or self-sovereignty is not the work of man, but to keep it constantly in mind as a sacred right in all human intercourse is highly expedient. 8. Perceiving that we can invent nothing higher than expedience, we necessarily set aside all imperative or absolute authorities, all sanguinary and unbending codes, creeds and theories, and leave everyone free to choose among expedience, or in other words, we place all action upon the voluntary basis. Do not be alarmed, we shall see this to be the highest expedient whenever it is possible. 9. It is only when the voluntary is wantonly encroached upon that the employment of force is expedient or justifiable. 10. It appears, however, that no rule or law can be laid down to determine beforehand what will constitute an offensive encroachment. What one will resist, another will excuse, and the subtle diversities of different persons and cases growing out of the inherent individualities of each have defied all attempts at perfect formalizing except this, of the sovereignty of every individual over his or her own, and even this must be violated in resisting its violation. 11. The legitimate sphere of every individual has never been publicly determined, but until it is clearly defined we can never tell what constitutes encroachment, what may be safely excused or what may be profitably resisted. 12. We will attempt, then, to define the sphere within which every individual may legitimately rightly exercise supreme power or absolute authority. This sphere would include his or her person, time, property, and responsibilities. 13. By the word right is meant simply that which necessarily tends towards the end in view. The end in view here is permanent and universal peace and security of person and property. 14. I have said in effect that the present confusion and widespread violence and destruction result from a want of appreciation of this great right of individual sovereignty and its defense by government. 15. I now proceed to illustrate and prove this by considering what would be the natural consequences of bearing these two ideas all the time in mind as the regulators of political and moral movements and holding them as it were as substitutes for all previous laws, customs, precedents, and theories. 16. First, then, while admitting this right of sovereignty in everyone, I shall not be guilty of the ill manners of attempting to offensively enforce any of my theoretical speculations which has been the common error of all governments. This itself would be an attempted encroachment that would justify resistance. 17. The whole mission of coercive government being the defense of persons and property against offensive encroachments, it must have force enough for the purpose. This force necessarily resolves itself into the military for the advantages of drill and systematic cooperation and this being perhaps the best form that government can assume while a coercive force is needed, I make no issue with it but only with the misapplications of its immense power. 18. Adhering closely to the idea of restraining violence as the mission of government or military power, if this sole purpose was instilled into the general mind as an element of education or discipline, no force could be raised to invade any persons or property whatever and no defense would be necessary. 21. Every person being entitled to sovereignty within his own sphere there can be consistently no limits or exceptions to the title to protection in the legitimate exercise of this sacred right, whether on this side or the other side of the Atlantic and whether in a state of war or not. And as soon as we take position for this universal right for all the world, we shall have all the world for us and with us and no enemies to contend with. Did military men ever think of this? Did governments ever think of it? 22. The whole proper business of government is the restraining offensive encroachments or unnecessary violence to persons and property or enforcing compensation therefore but if in the exercise of this power we commit an unnecessary violence to any person whatever or to any property we ourselves have become the aggressors and should be resisted. 23. But who is to decide how much violence is necessary in any given case? We here arrive at the pivot upon which all power now turns for good or evil. This pivot under formal exacting aggressive institutions or constitutions is the person who decides as to their meaning. If one decides for all then all but that one are perhaps enslaved. If each one's title to sovereignty is admitted there will be different interpretations and this freedom to differ will ensure emancipation, safety, repose even in a political atmosphere. And all the cooperation we ought to expect will come from the coincidence of motives according to the merits of each case as estimated by different minds. Where there is evidence of aggression palpable to all minds all might cooperate to resist it and where the case is not clearly made out there will be more or less hesitation. Two great nations will not then be so very ready to jump at each other's throats when the most cunning lawyers are puzzled to decide which is wrong. 24. Theorize as we may about the interpretation of the Constitution every individual does unavoidably measure it and all other words by his own peculiar understanding or conceits whether he understands himself or not and should like General Jackson recognize the fact take responsibility of it and qualify himself to meet its consequences. The full appreciation of this simple but almost unknown fact will neutralize the war element in all verbal controversies and the binding power of all indefinite words and place conformity there too on the voluntary basis. Did any institution makers except the signers of the Declaration ever think of this? 36. Admitting this indestructible right of sovereignty in every individual at all times and in all conditions one will not attempt to govern but only guide or lead another. But we shall trust principle or purpose for a general and voluntary coincidence and cooperation. Military officers will then become directors or leaders not commanders obedience will be all the more prompt because it is rendered for an object the greatest that can inspire human action resistance to all attempts at offensive and unnecessary governing or encroachments upon any persons or property whatsoever as the great guarantee for the security of each and every individual. Then every man woman and child in the world is interested in acting for and with such a government. 48. If we have been correct in our reasonings then we have found the clue to the true mission and form of government to the most perfect yet harmless subordination the reconciliation of obedience with freedom to the cessation of all hostilities between parties and nations to universal cooperation for universal preservation and security of persons and property. We have found a government literally in the people of the people for the people a government that is the people for men women and children can take some direct or indirect part in it a ready police or army adapted to all demands for either a self-protecting party of the whole. 49. A union not only on paper but rooted in the heart whose members trained in the constant reverence for the inalienable right of sovereignty in every person would be habituated to forbearance towards even wrong opinions and different educations and tastes to patient endurance of irremediable injuries and a self-governing deportment and gentleness of manner and a prompt but careful resistance to wanton aggression wherever found which would meet with a ready and an affectionate welcome in any part of the world. 50. Every intelligent person would wish to be a member or to contribute in some manner to the great common cause. 51. No coercive system of taxation could be necessary to such a government a government so simple that children will be first to comprehend it and which even they can see it for their interests to assist. 76. This absolute right of sovereignty in every individual over his or her person time and property is the only rule or principle known to this writer that is not subject to exceptions and failures as a regulator of human intercourse. 86. It will be seen by some at least that each individual assuming his or her share of the deciding power or government as proposed the great American idea may be practically realized and that the ever disturbing problem of the balance of political power becomes solved and security for the person and property the great proposed object of all governments prospectively attained. 87. If others see in this only the inauguration of anarchy let no attempt be made to urge them into conformity but let them freely and securely await the results of demonstration. 475. With regard to a wild pursuit after a distorted freedom nothing has ever so effectually restrained and regulated the instinctive and impulsive pursuit of our own ends and invested freedom with such beautiful and enchanting symmetry as the sacred and constant regard to this absolute right of unqualified sovereignty in others over their own and so inspires already spirit of forbearance and accommodation where the mutual exercise of this divine absolute right is impossible and the most polite benevolent equitable charming deportment in the highest cultivated circles is characterized in every step word and deed as if this idea was the divine regulator of all. 476. The great difficulty has been in determining what constitutes one's own over which he may harmlessly exercise this unqualified jurisdiction or sovereignty especially with regard to property. 478. It is possible that the sphere of individual absolute jurisdiction has not been fully and exactly stated but if each one becomes so conditioned that he can exercise this jurisdiction over his or her own person responsibilities time and property without disturbing others true order will have commenced and future wisdom may supply deficiencies. 479. Individuality has been misapprehended and misrepresented as isolation selfishness unsociableness et cetera. 480. I say misapprehended because I cannot believe that anyone who perceives the sublime importance of it as a regulator of human intercourse could find a motive to misrepresent it education drill on this great theme seem to be indispensable. 481. A volume wholly devoted to its illustration as the great divine law of order and as a preventative of confusion and violence could scarcely begin to do it justice and all that can be done here is to excite thought towards it as a study by a few hints in addition to those already given and leave it to the after experience of the reader for continuous illustration and confirmation. 511. Had the American public mind been educated to understand that individuality is the vital principle of order it would have generally seen and admitted that government has properly but one individual function which is to resist or restrain encroachments upon the rights of individuals that it is not the true function of governments to prescribe opinions either moral religious or political to meddle with manufacturers or importations to prescribe the cut of the citizens hair the employment of his time or the disposal of his life or his property but simply and solely to protect him against such impertinences. 520. How is it then with individuality is it the great element of discord of divergence of selfishness isolation and antagonism or is it the great element of order peace reconciliation convergency cooperation and prosperity. 521. A commentator has well said individuality is the next thing to everything and but little justice can be done to it within the limits now at command. 522. The study of it instead of being as it should be the first step in the foundation of education it remains yet to be taken. 523. Education will not fairly have commenced until each child has its own little individual sphere of personality property of time and responsibilities over which he or she has supreme or sovereign control disintegrated from the control of its parents except as counselors who by a watchful regard to its legitimate sovereignty within its own little sphere teaches it by example to respect the same rights in its parents and all others. It is only within these conditions that the child begins to be prepared for successful future life. 556. The only possible apparent solution or settlement of this vital subject is in limiting the sphere within which each individual can harmlessly be sovereign or absolutely free according to his own interpretation of that word or any other word. 557. This sphere includes at least his own person, his own time, his own property and his own responsibilities. 559. Individuality is the great cornerstone of order. 560. Self-sovereignty is the mandate of peace. This has been individualism a reader edited by George H. Smith and Marilyn Moore, narrated by James Foster. Copyright 2015 by the Cato Institute. Production copyright 2015 by the Cato Institute.