Proudhon Revisited

Beyond price is never quite the case. Everything can be obtained at a price. What matters is the manner in which the price is paid. In our society it had been agreed that property is not only settled, but property rights are defended by the state and its civil, institutional arrrangements. Property is not supposed to be obtained or defended by fraud or at gunpoint. And if it is, then social and judicial retribution follows.

Along with democratic control over who uses the powers of the state, conceded by the social contract (which has gone by the board in the last twelve years), have gone property rights. Millions of our fellow citizens have abandoned the terms of the social contract, encouraged by the current regime, and lied, cheated, falsely declared , used all forms of legal and social dishonesty, you name it, to force their way to houses, cars, household goods, holidays and pensions - to entire lifestyles - by stealing from their fellows and from future generations.

It wouldn't be so distasteful if it had been done for things like this:



But what the cheapskates actually obtained are things like this:



and the vile buildings they are scrawled on.

What really hurts is the destruction of so much to provide so little for so many.