Thatwhichisnowcalledaristocracyimpliesaninequalityofrights；
　　butwhoarethepersonsthathavearighttoestablishthisinequality？
　　Willtherichexcludethemselves？No。Willthepoorexcludethemselves？
　　No。Bywhatrightthencananybeexcluded？Itwouldbeaquestion，ifanymanorclassofmenhavearighttoexcludethemselves；but，bethisasitmay，theycannothavetherighttoexcludeanother。Thepoorwillnotdelegatesucharighttotherich，northerichtothepoor，andtoassumeitisnotonlytoassumearbitrarypower，buttoassumearighttocommitrobbery。
　　Personalrights，ofwhichtherightofvotingforrepresentativesisone，areaspeciesofpropertyofthemostsacredkind:andhethatwouldemployhispecuniaryproperty，orpresumeupontheinfluenceitgiveshim，todispossessorrobanotherofhispropertyorrights，usesthatpecuniarypropertyashewouldusefire-arms，andmeritstohaveittakenfromhim。
　　Inequalityofrightsiscreatedbyacombinationinonepartofthecommunitytoexcludeanotherpartfromitsrights。Wheneveritbemadeanarticleofaconstitution，oralaw，thattherightofvoting，orofelectingandbeingelected，shallappertainexclusivelytopersonspossessingacertainquantityofproperty，beitlittleormuch，itisacombinationofthepersonspossessingthatquantitytoexcludethosewhodonotpossessthesamequantity。Itisinvestingthemselveswithpowersasaself-createdpartofsociety，totheexclusionoftherest。
　　Itisalwaystobetakenforgranted，thatthosewhoopposeanequalityofrightsnevermeantheexclusionshouldtakeplaceonthemselves；andinthisviewofthecase，pardoningthevanityofthething，aristocracyisasubjectoflaughter。Thisself-soothingvanityisencouragedbyanotherideanotlessselfish，whichisthattheopposersconceivetheyareplayingasafegame，inwhichthereisachancetogainandnonetolose；thatatanyratethedoctrineofequalityincludesthem，andthatiftheycannotgetmorerightsthanthosewhomtheyopposeandwouldexcludetheyshallnothaveless。
　　Thisopinionhasalreadybeenfataltothousands，who，notcontentedwithequalrights，havesoughtmoretilltheylostall，andexperiencedinthemselvesthedegradinginequalitytheyendeavoredtofixuponothers。
　　Inanyviewofthecaseitisdangerousandimpolitic，sometimesridiculous，andalwaysunjusttomakepropertythecriterionoftherightofvoting。
　　Ifthesumorvalueofthepropertyuponwhichtherightistotakeplacebeconsiderableitwillexcludeamajorityofthepeopleandunitetheminacommoninterestagainstthegovernmentandagainstthosewhosupportit；andasthepowerisalwayswiththemajority，theycanoverturnsuchagovernmentanditssupporterswhenevertheyplease。
　　If，inordertoavoidthisdanger，asmallquantityofpropertybefixed，asthecriterionoftheright，itexhibitslibertyindisgrace，byputtingitincompetitionwithaccidentandinsignificance。Whenabrood-mareshallfortunatelyproduceafoaloramulethat，bybeingworththesuminquestion，shallconveytoitsownertherightofvoting，orbyitsdeathtakeitfromhim，inwhomdoestheoriginofsucharightexist？Isitintheman，orinthemule？Whenweconsiderhowmanywayspropertymaybeacquiredwithoutmerit，andlostwithoutcrime，weoughttospurntheideaofmakingitacriterionofrights。
　　Buttheoffensivepartofthecaseisthatthisexclusionfromtherightofvotingimpliesastigmaonthemoralcharacterofthepersonsexcluded；
　　andthisiswhatnopartofthecommunityhasarighttopronounceuponanotherpart。Noexternalcircumstancecanjustifyit:wealthisnoproofofmoralcharacter；norpovertyofthewantofit。
　　Onthecontrary，wealthisoftenthepresumptiveevidenceofdishonesty；
　　andpovertythenegativeevidenceofinnocence。Ifthereforeproperty，whetherlittleormuch，bemadeacriterion，themeansbywhichthatpropertyhasbeenacquiredoughttobemadeacriterionalso。
　　Theonlygrounduponwhichexclusionfromtherightofvotingisconsistentwithjusticewouldbetoinflictitasapunishmentforacertaintimeuponthosewhoshouldproposetotakeawaythatrightfromothers。Therightofvotingforrepresentativesistheprimaryrightbywhichotherrightsareprotected。
　　Totakeawaythisrightistoreduceamantoslavery，forslaveryconsistsinbeingsubjecttothewillofanother，andhethathasnotavoteintheelectionofrepresentativesisinthiscase。Theproposalthereforetodisfranchiseanyclassofmenisascriminalastheproposaltotakeawayproperty。
　　Whenwespeakofrightweoughtalwaystounitewithittheideaofduties:rightsbecomedutiesbyreciprocity。TherightwhichIenjoybecomesmydutytoguaranteeittoanother，andhetome；andthosewhoviolatethedutyjustlyincuraforfeitureoftheright。
　　Inapoliticalviewofthecase，thestrengthandpermanentsecurityofgovernmentisinproportiontothenumberofpeopleinterestedinsupportingit。Thetruepolicythereforeistointerestthewholebyanequalityofrights，forthedangerarisesfromexclusions。Itispossibletoexcludemenfromtherightofvoting，butitisimpossibletoexcludethemfromtherightofrebellingagainstthatexclusion；andwhenallotherrightsaretakenawaytherightofrebellionismadeperfect。
　　Whilemencouldbepersuadedtheyhadnorights，orthatrightsappertainedonlytoacertainclassofmen，orthatgovernmentwasathingexistinginrightofitself，itwasnotdifficulttogovernthemauthoritatively。
　　Theignoranceinwhichtheywereheld，andthesuperstitioninwhichtheywereinstructed，furnishedthemeansofdoingit。
　　Butwhentheignoranceisgone，andthesuperstitionwithit；whentheyperceivetheimpositionthathasbeenacteduponthem；whentheyreflectthatthecultivatorandthemanufactureraretheprimarymeansofallthewealththatexistsintheworld，beyondwhatnaturespontaneouslyproduces；
　　whentheybegintofeeltheirconsequencebytheirusefulness，andtheirrightasmembersofsociety，itisthennolongerpossibletogovernthemasbefore。Thefraudoncedetectedcannotbere-acted。Toattemptitistoprovokederision，orinvitedestruction。
　　Thatpropertywilleverbeunequaliscertain。Industry，superiorityoftalents，dexterityofmanagement，extremefrugality，fortunateopportunities，ortheopposite，orthemeansofthosethings，willeverproducethateffect，withouthavingrecoursetotheharsh，ill-soundingnamesofavariceandoppression；andbesidesthistherearesomemenwho，thoughtheydonotdespisewealth，willnotstooptothedrudgeryorthemeansofacquiringit，norwillbetroubledwithitbeyondtheirwantsortheirindependence；
　　whileinothersthereisanaviditytoobtainitbyeverymeansnotpunishable；
　　itmakesthesolebusinessoftheirlives，andtheyfollowitasareligion。
　　Allthatisrequiredwithrespecttopropertyistoobtainithonestly，andnotemployitcriminally；butitisalwayscriminallyemployedwhenitismadeacriterionforexclusiverights。
　　Ininstitutionsthatarepurelypecuniary，suchasthatofabankoracommercialcompany，therightsofthememberscomposingthatcompanyarewhollycreatedbythepropertytheyinvesttherein；andnootherrightsarerepresentedinthegovernmentofthatcompanythanwhatariseoutofthatproperty；neitherhasthatgovernmentcognizanceofanythingbutproperty。