# § 2 Characteristics of Communism and of Property explained — What Is Property?

> Chapter companion for What Is Property? by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon.

## What happens

Proudhon contrasts communism and property, arguing that both are flawed forms of social organization. He critiques communism as oppressive, uniform, and exploitative of the strong by the weak, while property is condemned as despotism and the right to abuse. He traces the evolution of justice from the right of the strongest through artifice, linking property to exploitation, usury, and robbery in various forms.

## Themes in this chapter

### Critique of Law and Government

Proudhon argues that property necessarily engenders despotism and that government is impossible while property exists, as proprietors become despotic kings.

### Inequality of Wealth

Contrasts property as exploitation of the weak by the strong with communism as exploitation of the strong by the weak, highlighting different forms of inequality.

### Labor and Exploitation

Discusses how property leads to exploitation through commerce, profit, sinecures, and exorbitant wages, and critiques communism for making labor odious and enforced.

## Character check-ins

### Pierre Joseph Proudhon

Author and central voice; critiques both communism and property, and outlines the historical development of justice.

### Plato

Cited for his communistic republic involving slavery, and for the 'Gorgias' dialogue where Callicles defends the right of the strongest.

### Lycurgus

Mentioned for his communistic system that employed Helots.

### Jean Jacques Rousseau

Referenced for confounding communism and equality, and stating that without slavery equality of conditions is impossible.

### Babeuf

Mentioned as a follower whose movement was ruined by exaggeration of anti-property principles.

### St. Simon

Referenced as part of the St. Simonians who lumped communism and inequality and passed away like a masquerade.

## Key lines

> Property is the right to use and abuse.

Property grants the owner the power to use or misuse something as they see fit.

_Proudhon's definition of property as inherently despotic._

> Communism is inequality, but not as property is. Property is the exploitation of the weak by the strong. Communism is the exploitation of the strong by the weak.

Communism and property both produce inequality, but in opposite directions: property lets the strong exploit the weak, while communism lets the weak exploit the strong.

_Key contrast between the two systems._

> We rob—14. By commerce, when the profit of the merchant exceeds his legitimate salary.

Commerce becomes robbery when the merchant's profit is more than fair compensation for their work.

_Proudhon's critique of commercial profit as a form of theft._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/part-ii-2
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/what_is_property_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters