Cocotitlan Pueblo Quotes
We need property dedicated to the general benefit in addition to that intended for private use.
Cocotitlan Pueblo, Mexican Municipality in Chalco, Petition for restoration of some communal lands as all the land had been placed in private hands, 1866
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Spinoza was one of the most feared intellectuals in human history—feared, that is, by the established power structures. He is the only known person who was excommunicated by the Catholics, the Jews and the Muslims—all were forbidden to read his works. He was the enemy of authority and advocated personal reason as the guide for men.
The Catholic view on the subject varied from time to time, even with the same Pope. See {360616} for another quote from this Pope that gives a different point of view.
This quotation illustrates a very interesting historical fact about white understanding of Native American concepts of property and ownership. Here is a Scottsman before the American Revolution who is writing about American Indians and their communal concept of property. The “purchases” of Indian land from individual Indians therefore has even more doubt cast on the propriety than if the whites were acting in good faith. Furguson had personally visited North America for a brief visit.
Paine, one of America’s founding fathers and the man most responsible for influencing Americans to revolt, is generally not given much attention in modern times. One of the main reasons was that his philosophy regarding land and land ownership is today considered socialist if not communist. Paine’s other views are mostly Apple pie American, but this is shocking to many Americans.
The Catholic view on the subject varied from time to time, even with the same Pope. See {638558} for another quote from this Pope that gives a different point of view.
