Tyranny Unmasked

Enormous political power invariably accumulates enormous wealth, and enormous wealth invariably accumulates enormous political power. Either constitutes a tyranny, because the acquisitions of both are losses of liberty and property to nations. -John Taylor, in “A General Discussion of Tyranny and the Choice Americans Face” A staunch defender of the rights of individuals and a stout watchdog against rising federal power during the early decades of nationhood of the United States, John Taylor explains, in plain but passionate language, the dangers of the governmental interference in the free exercise of commerce. Though written as a vehement response to a particular event-the proposal of a tariff to help expand industry-1821’s Tyranny Unmasked remains a cogent argument today, in an era of powerful special interests lobbying for, and often receiving, preferential treatment from the U.S. federal government. Powerfully relevant, it is essential reading for anyone interested in the economic and cultural health of the nation. The scion of one of colonial Virginia’s most respected families, JOHN TAYLOR (1753-1824) served as an officer in the Continental army and the Virginia militia during the American Revolution. A successful lawyer and gentleman farmer, he was an advocate of scientific farming, and was the first president of the Virginia Agricultural Society. He served in the Virginia state legislature in the 1780s and 1790s and as U.S. Senator for the state through much of the early 19th century.