Skip to content
quotesby

About this quote

What does it mean?
According to Tucker, anarchists argue that aggression is essential to the state while defense is not.
In plain terms
The state is defined by aggression not defense.
What can you take from it?
Link the state inherently to aggression rather than protection.

Where it applies

  • debating state purpose
  • defining state characteristics
  • anarchist theory

Putting it to work

  • critique state origin
  • identify state functions
  • analyze aggression

Questions to consider

  • Can a state exist without aggression?
  • Is defense ever the sole reason for a state?

Another view

It may overlook cases where states form primarily for collective defense.

More from Benjamin Tucker

  1. Defence was an afterthought, prompted by necessity; and its introduction as a State function, though effected doubtless with a view to the strengthening of the…

    Permalink to quote #17
  2. What relations should exist between the State and the Individual? The general method of determining these is to apply some theory of ethics involving a basis o…

    Permalink to quote #19
  3. This distinction between invasion and resistance, between government and defence, is vital. Without it there can be no valid philosophy of politics. Upon this …

    Permalink to quote #16

Related quotes

  1. This distinction between invasion and resistance, between government and defence, is vital. Without it there can be no valid philosophy of politics. Upon this …

    Benjamin TuckerBenjamin Tucker quote #16
  2. We designate by the term 'State' institutions that embody absolutism in its extreme form and institutions that temper it with more or less liberality. We apply…

    Benjamin TuckerBenjamin Tucker quote #14
  3. Let us then enunciate the functions of a state and we shall easily elicit what we want: First there must be food; secondly, arts, for life requires many instru…

    AristotleAristotle quote #34