If any man's money can be taken by a so-called government, without his own personal consent, all his other rights are taken with it; for with his money the government can, and will, hire soldiers to stand over him, compel him to submit to its arbitrary will, and kill him if he resists.

Lysander Spooner’s quote, "If any man's money can be taken by a so-called government, without his own personal consent, all his other rights are taken with it; for with his money the government can, and will, hire soldiers to stand over him, compel him to submit to its arbitrary will, and kill him if he resists," expresses a radical view on the relationship between the state and the individual. Spooner argues that when a government can forcibly take an individual's money—through taxation or other means—it essentially undermines all other rights the person may have. This is because the state uses the funds to enforce its will, including using force through military or law enforcement.

The origin of this quote comes from Spooner’s philosophical and political beliefs as an anarchist and abolitionist in the 19th century. He was a vocal critic of the government’s coercive power, particularly its ability to claim authority over individuals without their consent. Spooner believed that taxation was a form of theft and that any form of government that can forcibly seize an individual's wealth without permission is inherently unjust.

Spooner’s assertion implies that once the government has control over a person’s money, it gains the means to impose its power on the individual. This can include using force to control or suppress dissent. He believed that this financial power would inevitably lead to tyranny, where the state could silence any resistance through violence or coercion, stripping people of their freedom and autonomy.

In this quote, Spooner is warning about the potential dangers of government overreach and the loss of individual sovereignty. He sees taxation as a gateway to greater abuses of power, where individuals are no longer free but subjugated to the authority of a government that can enforce its will with the power of money and force.