Authority only persists if the people consent from "summary" of The Politics of Obedience and Étienne de La Boétie by Estienne de La Boétie,Paul Bonnefon
The fundamental idea presented in this discourse is that authority can only endure if individuals willingly submit to it. The author argues that the power of rulers is ultimately dependent on the obedience of the governed. This insight challenges the commonly held belief that authority is inherently stable and unassailable. Instead, it suggests that authority is fragile and contingent on the consent of the people. The author goes on to explain that the key to understanding this dynamic lies in recognizing the role of voluntary servitude in the maintenance of power structures. He contends that individuals acquiesce to authority not out of necessity, but out of habit an...
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