ThatStateactionalwayshasbeenmoreorlessmisdirected，andalwayswillbeso，is，Ibelieve，perfectlytrue。ButIamnotawarethatitismoretrueoftheactionofmenintheircorporatecapacitythanitisofthedoingsofindividuals。Thewisestandmostdispassionatemaninexistence，merelywishingtogofromonestileinafieldtotheopposite，willnotwalkquitestraight——heisalwaysgoingalittlewrong，andalwayscorrectinghimself；andIcanonlycongratulatetheindividualistwhoisabletosaythathisgeneralcourseoflifehasbeenofalessundulatorycharacter。ToabolishStateaction，becauseitsdirectionisnevermorethanapproximatelycorrect，appearstometobemuchthesamethingasabolishingthemanatthewheelaltogether，because，dowhathewill，theshipyawsmoreorless。“WhyshouldIberobbedofmypropertytopayforteachinganotherman’schildren？“isanindividualistquestion，whichisnotunfrequentlyputasifitsettledthewholebusiness。Perhapsitdoes，butIfinddifficultiesinseeingwhyitshould。TheparishinwhichIlivemakesmepaymyshareforthepavingandlightingofagreatmanystreetsthatIneverpassthrough；[230]andImightpleadthatIamrobbedtosmooththewayandlightenthedarknessofotherpeople。ButIamafraidtheparochialauthoritieswouldnotletmeoffonthisplea；
andImustconfessIdonotseewhytheyshould。
Icannotspeakofmyownknowledge，butIhaveeveryreasontobelievethatIcameintothisworldasmallreddishperson，certainlywithoutagoldspooninmymouth，andinfactwithnodiscernibleabstractorconcrete“rights“orpropertyofanydescription。Ifafootwasnotsetuponme，atonce，asasquallingnuisance，itwaseitherthenaturalaffectionofthoseaboutme，whichIcertainlyhaddonenothingtodeserve，orthefearofthelawwhich，agesbeforemybirth，waspainfullybuiltupbythesocietyintowhichIintruded，thatpreventedthatcatastrophe。IfIwasnourished，caredfor，taught，savedfromthevagabondageofawastrel，IcertainlyamnotawarethatIdidanythingtodeservethoseadvantages。And，ifI
possessanythingnow，itstrikesmethat，thoughImayhavefairlyearnedmyday’swagesformyday’swork，andmayjustlycallthemmyproperty——yet，withoutthatorganizationofsociety，createdoutofthetoilandbloodoflonggenerationsbeforemytime，Ishouldprobablyhavehadnothingbutaflintaxeandanindifferenthuttocallmyown；andeventhosewouldbemineonlysolongasnostrongersavagecamemyway。
Sothatifsociety，having，quitegratuitously，[231]doneallthesethingsforme，asksmeinturntodosomethingtowardsitspreservation——evenifthatsomethingistocontributetotheteachingofothermen’schildren——Ireallyinspiteofallmyindividualistleanings，feelratherashamedtosayno。AndifIwerenotashamed，I