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Ideologies / Voluntarist / Étienne de La Boétie
Étienne de La Boétie — ink portrait
§ The minds · 1530–1563 · France · Writer

Étienne de La Boétie

The discourse on voluntary servitude

Tyranny survives only on our consent.

Heterodox Voluntarist →
Economic+64
SocialistMarket
Governance−74
LibertarianAuthoritarian
Social+30
TraditionalProgressive
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The Renaissance humanist whose 'Discourse on Voluntary Servitude' argued that tyrants rule only because people consent to obey — withdraw that consent and tyranny collapses. The deep root of voluntaryism.

social

Renaissance humanist of liberty.

economic

Implicitly favours free, uncoerced exchange.

governance

Argued all tyranny rests on the consent of the governed — withdraw it.

Notable for
  • 'Discourse on Voluntary Servitude'
  • Theory of consent and tyranny
  • Inspired civil disobedience
voluntary-servitudeconsentcivil-disobedience
§ The minds nearest Boétie
George H. Smith
George H. Smith
98% affinity
The Consenting Neighbour (archetype)
The Consenting Neighbour (archetype)
98% affinity
Auberon Herbert
Auberon Herbert
98% affinity
Carl Watner
Carl Watner
97% affinity
Robert LeFevre
Robert LeFevre
96% affinity
Wendy McElroy
Wendy McElroy
95% affinity
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