Holy cow, Gerrad Winstanley wrote this in 1652!

Surely then, oppressing lords of manors, exacting landlords, and tithe-takers, may as well say, their brethren shall not breathe in the air, nor enjoy warmth in their bodies, nor have the moist waters to fall upon them in showers, unless they will pay them rent for it: as to say, their brethren shall not work upon earth, nor eat the fruits thereof, unless they will hire that liberty of them. For he that takes upon him to restrain his brother from the liberty of the one, may upon the same ground restrain him from the liberty of all four; viz. fire, water, earth, and air.

A man had better to have had no body, than to have no food for it; therefore this restraining of the earth from brethren by brethren, is oppression and bondage; but the free enjoyment thereof is true freedom.

Gerrard Winstanley, quoted in Ian Angus. The War Against the Commons

#GerrardWinstanley #IanAngus #Commons #Commonism #Diggers #Capitalism #Anarchism

I see that Ken Loach is shortly to present an episode of BBC Radio 4's Great Lives, on Gerrard Winstanley, founder of the Diggers (True Levellers).

A low-life reviews a great life? I shall give it a miss.

#GerrardWinstanley #Diggers #Levellers #KenLoach