Free Political Propositions

go? The more so, because I also cannot see, nor believe, that any human, living outside of a people’s law and free contract, can be called happy in this world, or be considered as such. For this is only too certain: that among a group or crowd of people forced together, no others are found but Deceivers and Deceived, Oppressors and Oppressed. Of these last two—for I consider a Deceiver to the ruin of his neighbor a Devil among humans, and the Deceived to be closest to the beasts—I would not know which to choose for myself; the best would be: since both, for the generous and freedom-loving human, must be considered as shameful extremes to be heartily avoided, fled, and opposed. Being then also sufficiently known that, just as no Deceiver or Tyrant in any society or assembly of people, with regard to that assembly itself, wants to be recognized for what he is, or be regarded as such in any way; nor can anyone be willingly deceived or forced; that likewise, the Deceived and the Oppressed, with the Deceiver and the Tyrant all together, without any exception or excuse, make up an assembly of unhappy and miserable humans. And which always, and finally, through external pressing needs and adversities, as well as internal disunity and divisions, are destined for ruin and downfall. For which no other counsel or remedy will be found than that they all together, or for now in part, come to be saved and fully delivered through clear reason from their mutual and clashing, freedom-stifling misunderstandings.

And which may be hoped and believed to be so much the easier and readier to be accomplished, as it is known that one is ashamed to admit to being what he is and pretends to be that which he is not at all; and is forced against his will and desire to be what, more or less according to his natural disposition, brings him annoyance and goes against his grain.

The Natural equal Freedom must then be most clearly induced and made known to every human and member of an assembly of people. Primarily consisting of this: that they never, under any pretext, vilely or slavishly subject their natural free Judgment—regarding what pertains to their own welfare and best interest—to any private person. But, according to their utmost ability, seek to understand what pertains to their welfare and best interest. And that they likewise must suspect all those who attempt to advise them otherwise as being insidious Deceivers: for no welfare obtained outside of one’s own judgment and approval can be considered truly human, much less be pursued or accepted as a desired, lasting state. For the reason that all that one easily obtains regarding this solely on another’s judgment and faith, that is likewise, at the pleasure of the Trusted one, left resting in him, also easily lost again, and often never regained. And most of the time, all such reckless and gullible people, according to all the world’s and nations’ examples, are unpardonably led from a worse to a worse slavery.

Let us then all, as before, learn to understand as best we can that we have no assembly of people to seek or pursue, to dwell with, except solely to most safely and surely attain and obtain our own particular best interest and welfare: Since