La Boétie

Étienne de La Boétie was a 16th-century French thinker known for his work "Discourse on Voluntary Servitude." He argued that governments and rulers maintain power primarily because people actively choose to accept and follow their authority, often out of habit, fear, or complacency. Without the consent or participation of the governed, rulers would lose their power. La Boétie believed true freedom relies on individuals resisting unjust authority and recognizing their role in perpetuating or challenging tyranny. His ideas emphasize the importance of individual agency in shaping political and social change.