# IX explained — No Treason

> Chapter companion for No Treason by Lysander Spooner.

## What happens

The chapter argues that treason law must be limited for political liberty to exist, which always protects the weaker party. It contends that under prevailing government theory, the ballot is equivalent to a bullet, as both are tools to compel submission.

## Themes in this chapter

### Critique of Majority Rule

The ballot is equated with a bullet, implying majority rule is merely a veiled form of coercion.

### Individual Natural Rights

Political liberty is defined as protection for the weaker party, rooted in natural rights against oppression.

## Character check-ins

### a man

The weaker party that is oppressed and must be protected by political liberty.

### these men

The stronger party that rules by superior strength.

## Key lines

> Obviously there can be no law of treason more stringent than has now been stated, consistently with political liberty.

No treason law can be stricter than what has been described without destroying political freedom.

_Establishes the boundary between treason law and liberty._

> And whether the contest be carried on with ballots or bullets, the principle is the same; for under the theory of government now prevailing, the ballot either signifies a bullet, or it signifies nothing.

Whether the struggle is through voting or violence, the underlying principle is identical; under current government theory, a vote either represents a threat of force or is meaningless.

_Equates democratic voting with coercion._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/no_treason_se/chapters/ix
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/no_treason_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/no_treason_se/chapters