The Real Rights of Man, by Thomas Spence, was a lecture delivered in Newcastle in 1775 to the Philosophical Society, ‘for printing of which the Society did the Author the honour to expel him’ as the title page proclaims.
Parish communities, with all men as members, take over land
Spence supposes: ‘a day appointed on which the inhabitants of each parish meet, in their respective parishes, to take their long-lost rights into possession, and to form themselves into corporations. So then each parish becomes a corporation, and all men who are inhabitants become members or burghers. The land, with all that appertains to it, is in every parish made the property of the corporation or parish, with as ample power to let, repair or alter all or any part thereof…’
No transfer back to private hands
Once they have the land, they would never give it away: ‘For it is solemnly agreed to, by the whole nation, that a parish that shall either sell or give away any part of its landed property, shall be looked upon with as much horror and detestation, and used by them as if they had sold all their children to be slaves, or massacred them with their own hands.’
Income reinvested for public good
Rents which people pay into the parish treasuries are paid partly to Government (its ‘share of the sum which the Parliament or National Congress at any time grants’) and also used locally for purposes such as ‘maintaining and relieving its own poor, and people out of work’, ‘building, repairing, and adorning its houses, bridges, and other structures’ making and maintaining streets and canals, ‘planting and taking in waste grounds’ and providing arms and ammunition ‘sufficient for all its inhabitants in case of danger from enemies’ - and ‘in a word, doing whatever the people think proper.’
Local people make decisions without central government interference except to safeguard universal rights and liberties
All affairs are to be determined by voting in secret ballots. ‘Among them Government does not meddle in every trifle; but on the contrary, allows each parish the power of putting the laws in force in all cases, and does not interfere but when they act manifestly to the prejudice of society and the rights and liberties of mankind.’ ‘For the judgement of a parish may be as much depended upon as that of a House of Lords, because they have as little to fear from speaking or voting according to truth as they.’
Annual elections and paid representatives
The parishes elect representatives to the national government – which may be termed a Parliament, Senate or Congress. The parishes pay equally towards their maintenance. Residence of a year entitles a man to become a parishioner or member of the corporation.
Refugees and migrants helped without envy in the community
‘If in any parish should be dwelling strangers from foreign nations, or people from distant countries who by sickness or other casualties should become so necessitous as to require relief before they have acquired a settlement by dwelling a full year therein; then this parish, as if it were their proper settlement, immediately takes them under its humane protection, and the expenses thus incurred by any parish in providing those not properly their own poor being taken account of, is discounted by the Exchequer out of the first payment made to the State. Thus poor strangers, being the poor of the State, are not looked upon with an envious eye lest they should become burthensome; - neither are the poor harassed about in the extremity of distress, and perhaps in a dying condition, to justify the litigiousness of the parishes.’
Each man a soldier
All men in a parish would undertake military training, but there would be no standing army: ‘as all have property alike to defend, they are all alike ready to run to arms when their country is in danger.’
Burden of big government reduced
There are no other taxes, so the overall tax burden is reduced because ‘the government, which may be said to be the greatest mouth, having neither excisemen, custom-house men, collectors, army, pensioners, bribery, nor such like ruination vermin to maintain, is soon satisfied, and moreover there are no more persons employed in offices, either about the government or parishes, than are absolutely necessary; and their salaries are but just sufficient to maintain them suitably to their offices’ – also because there is no ‘devouring landed interest to support.’
Here to stay
‘But what makes this prospect yet more glowing is that after this empire of right and reason is thus established, it will stand for ever. Force and corruption attempting its downfall shall equally be baffled…’
