What Is Property? · Chapter
§ 3 explained
Proudhon argues that equality of conditions is a natural law supported by jurisprudence, political economy, and psychology, and that property has been the root cause of historical revolutions.
What happens
Proudhon argues that equality of conditions is a natural law supported by jurisprudence, political economy, and psychology, and that property has been the root cause of historical revolutions. He distinguishes between justice (equality of distribution) and équité (benevolence beyond strict debt), asserting that society must prioritize justice before generosity. He also critiques anthropomorphic attributions of justice to God and kings, and explores how human sociability, based on diverse talents and intellectual exchange, differs fundamentally from animal association.
Themes in this chapter
Equality and Justice
Proudhon asserts equality of conditions as a natural law and insists that justice (equal distribution) must precede équité (benevolence).
Inequality of Wealth
Property is identified as the definitive cause of revolutions and societal downfall due to its power of accumulation and encroachment.
Sociability and Community
Explores human sociability based on diverse talents and intellectual exchange, contrasting it with animal association.
Critique of Law and Government
Criticizes civil and administrative power for upholding property-based iniquity, demanding reconstruction on political equality.
Characters to notice
- Pierre Joseph Proudhon
Author and primary voice; argues for equality of conditions, critiques property, and distinguishes justice from équité.
Key passages
“Equality of conditions is the law of society, and universal solidarity is the ratification of this law.”
Proudhon declares that social equality is a fundamental law, and that global mutual support confirms it.
Central thesis of the chapter: equality is natural and necessary.
“Property, acting by exclusion and encroachment, while population was increasing, has been the life-principle and definitive cause of all revolutions.”
Property, through its tendency to exclude and expand, has driven all major historical upheavals.
Links property directly to revolutionary change.
“The woman honored by the ancients, who, when forced by a tyrant to choose between the death of her brother and that of her husband, sacrificed the latter on the ground that she could find another husband but not another brother — that woman, I say, in obeying her sense of équité, failed in point of justice, and did a bad deed, because conjugal association is a closer relation than fraternal association, and because the life of our neighbor is not our property.”
Proudhon uses an ancient anecdote to illustrate that équité (personal affection) must not override justice (objective duty), since marriage is a closer bond than siblinghood and no one owns another's life.
Key distinction between justice and équité.
“God can be regarded as just, equitable, and good, only to another God. Now, God has no associate; consequently, he cannot experience social affections — such as goodness, équité, and justice.”
Proudhon argues that attributing social virtues like justice to God is anthropomorphism, because God has no equals to relate to socially.
Critique of religious anthropomorphism and divine justice.