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and as much as he pleases。 He wishes to dispose of his own time； to be governed only by necessity； to choose his friendships； his recreation； and his discipline； to act from judgment； not by command； to sacrifice himself through selfishness； not through servile obligation。 Communism is essentially opposed to the free exercise of our faculties； to our noblest desires； to our deepest feelings。 Any plan which could be devised for reconciling it with the demands of the individual reason and will would end only in changing the thing while preserving the name。 Now； if we are honest truth…seekers； we shall avoid disputes about words。
Thus； communism violates the sovereignty of the conscience； and equality： the first； by restricting spontaneity of mind and heart； and freedom of thought and action； the second； by placing labor and laziness； skill and stupidity； and even vice and virtue on an equality in point of comfort。 For the rest； if property is impossible on account of the desire to accumulate； communism would soon become so through the desire to shirk。
II。 Property； in its turn； violates equality by the rights of exclusion and increase； and freedom by despotism。 The former effect of property having been sufficiently developed in the last three chapters； I will content myself here with establishing by a final comparison； its perfect identity with robbery。
The Latin words for robber are _fur_ and _latro；_ the former taken from the Greek ｛GREEK m ｝； from ｛GREEK m ｝； Latin _fero_； I carry away； the latter from ｛GREEK ‘i ｝； I play the part of a brigand； which is derived from ｛GREEK i ｝； Latin _lateo_； I conceal myself。 The Greeks have also ｛GREEK ncg ｝； from ｛GREEK ncg ｝； I filch； whose radical consonants are the same as those of ｛GREEK ‘ cg ｝； I cover； I conceal。 Thus； in these languages； the idea of a robber is that of a man who conceals； carries away； or diverts； in any manner whatever； a thing which does not belong to him。
The Hebrews expressed the same idea by the word _gannab_； robber；from the verb _ganab_； which means to put away； to turn aside： _lo thi…gnob （Decalogue： Eighth Commandment_）； thou shalt not steal；that is； thou shalt not hold back； thou shalt not put away any thing for thyself。 That is the act of a man who； on entering into a society into which he agrees to bring all that he has； secretly reserves a portion； as did the celebrated disciple Ananias。
The etymology of the French verb _voler_ is still more significant。 _Voler_； or _faire la vole_ （from the Latin _vola_； palm of the hand）； means to take all the tricks in a game of ombre； so that _le voleur_； the robber； is the capitalist who takes all； who gets the lion's share。 Probably this verb _voler_ had its origin in the professional slang of thieves； whence it has passed into common use； and； consequently into the phraseology of the law。
Robbery is committed in a variety of ways； which have been very cleverly distinguished and classified by legislators according to their heinousness or merit； to the end that some robbers may be honored； while others are punished。
We rob；1。 By murder on the highway； 2。 Alone； or in a band； 3。 By breaking into buildings； or scaling walls； 4。 By abstraction； 5。 By fraudulent bankruptcy； 6。 By forgery of the handwriting of public officials or private individuals； 7。 By manufacture of counterfeit money。
This species includes all robbers who practise their profession with no other aid than force and open fraud。 Bandits； brigands； pirates； rovers by land and sea；these names were gloried in by the ancient heroes； who thought their profession as noble as it was lucrative。 Nimrod； Theseus； Jason and his Argonauts； Jephthah； David； Cacus； Romulus； Clovis and all his Merovingian descendants； Robert Guiscard； Tancred de Hauteville； Bohemond； and most of the Norman heroes； were brigands and robbers。 The heroic character of the robber is expressed in this line from Horace； in reference to Achilles；
_〃Jura neget sibi nata； nihil non arroget armis_；〃＇1＇ and by this sentence from the dying words of Jacob （Gen。 xlviii。）； which the Jews apply to David； and the Christians to their Christ： _Manus ejus contra omnes_。 In our day； the robberthe warrior of the ancientsis pursued with the utmost vigor。 His profession； in the language of the code； entails ignominious and corporal penalties； from imprisonment to the scaffold。 A sad change in opinions here below！
＇1＇ 〃My right is my lance and my buckler。〃 General de Brossard said； like Achilles： 〃I get wine； gold； and women with my lance and my buckler。〃
We rob；8。 By cheating； 9。 By swindling； 10。 By abuse of trust； 11。 By games and lotteries。
This second species was encouraged by the laws of Lycurgus； in order to sharpen the wits of the young。 It is the kind practised by Ulysses； Solon； and Sinon； by the ancient and modern Jews； from Jacob down to Deutz； and by the Bohemians； the Arabs； and all savage tribes。 Under Louis XIII。 and Louis XIV。； it was not considered dishonorable to cheat at play。 To do so was a part of the game； and many worthy people did not scruple to correct the caprice of Fortune by dexterous jugglery。 To…day even； and in all countries； it is thought a mark of merit among peasants； merchants； and shopkeepers to KNOW HOW TO MAKE A BARGAIN；that is； to deceive one's man。 This is so universally accepted； that the cheated party takes no offence。 It is known with what reluctance our government resolved upon the abolition of lotteries。 It felt that it was dealing a stab thereby at property。 The pickpocket； the blackleg； and the charlatan make especial use of their dexterity of hand； their subtlety of mind； the magic power of their eloquence； and their great fertility of invention。 Sometimes they offer bait to cupidity。 Therefore the penal codewhich much prefers intelligence to muscular vigor has made； of the four varieties mentioned above； a second category； liable only to correctional； not to Ignominious； punishments。
Let them now accuse the law of being materialistic and atheistic。
We rob；12。 By usury。
This species of robbery； so odious and so severely punished since the publication of the Gospel； is the connecting link between forbidden and authorized robbery。 Owing to its ambiguous nature； it has given rise to a multitude of contradictions in the laws and in morals；contradictions which have been very cleverly turned to account by lawyers； financiers； and merchants。 Thus the usurer； who lends on mortgage at ten； twelve； and fifteen per cent。； is heavily fined when detected； while the banker； who receives the same interest （not； it is true； upon a loan； but in the way of exchange or discount；that is； of sale）； is protected by royal privilege。 But the distinction between the banker and the usurer is a purely nominal one。 Like the usurer； who lends on property； real or personal； the banker lends on business paper； like the usurer； he takes his interest in advance； like the usurer； he can recover from the borrower if the property is destroyed （that is； if the note is not redeemed）；a circumstance which makes him a money…lender； not a money…seller。 But the banker lends for a short time only； while the usurer's loan may be for one； two； three； or more years。 Now； a difference in the duration of the loan； or the form of the act； does not alter the nature of the transaction。 As for the capitalists who invest their money； either with the State or in commercial operations； at three； four； and five per cent。；that is； who lend on usury at a little lower rate than the bankers and usurers；they are the flower of society； the cream of honesty！ Moderation in robbery is the height of virtue！＇1＇
＇1＇ It would be interesting and profitable to review the authors who have written on usury； or； to use the gentler expression which some prefer； lendingat interest。 The theologians always have opposed usury； but； since they have admitted always the legitimacy of rent； and since rent is evidently identical with interest； they have lost themselves in a labyrinth of subtle distinctions； and have finally reached a pass where they do not know what to think of usury。 The Churchthe teacher of morality； so jealous and s