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Indeed: Who says anarchy, says negation of government; Who says negation of government, says affirmation of the people; Who says affirmation of the people, says individual liberty; Who says individual liberty, says sovereignty of each; Who says sovereignty of each, says equality; Who says equality, says solidarity or fraternity; Who says fraternity, says social order; By contrast: Who says government, says negation of the people; Who says negation of the people, says affirmation of political authority; Who says affirmation of political authority, says individual dependency; Who says individual dependency, says class supremacy; Who says class supremacy, says inequality; Who says inequality, says antagonism; Who says antagonism, says civil war; From which it follows that who says government, says civil war.

Anselme Bellegarrigue#1

PhilosophyPolitics

About this quote

What does it mean?
Bellegarrigue outlines a chain of reasoning linking anarchy to social order and government to civil war, concluding that government inevitably leads to civil war.
In plain terms
He argues that government leads to civil war through a series of oppositions.
What can you take from it?
Government can create conditions that foster conflict.

Where it applies

  • political debates
  • social theory classes
  • activist discussions

Putting it to work

  • examine governmental structures
  • promote decentralized decision‑making

Questions to consider

  • Is government always a cause of civil war?
  • What alternatives could break the chain?

Another view

The logical chain is a simplification and ignores many mediating factors.

More from Anselme Bellegarrigue

  1. There are no tyrants, there are only slaves.

    Permalink to quote #2

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