# Pierre Joseph Proudhon — What Is Property? character guide > Pierre Joseph Proudhon in What Is Property? by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Proudhon, Citizen Proudhon, P. J. Proudhon, Pierre - Joseph Proudhon, the jurist Proudhon **First appearance:** 0000-p-j-proudhon ## Snapshot The jurist who answers the question in his title with a thunderclap — property is robbery — and dares the reader to follow the argument to its end. ## Who they are Proudhon writes as a man of conviction who thinks only of his idea and his interlocutor, ad rem et ad hominem, and who asks to be judged by his arguments rather than his name. He anticipates history by a few days, calling his proposition the lightning-rod that might shield society from the coming thunderbolt, even as he insists he is no firebrand of sedition. His refusal to be intimidated by universal consent — appealing from the opinion of the human race to its faith — sets the terms for every debate that follows. ## Relationships ### [Charles Fourier](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/characters/charles_fourier) _rivalry_ Fourier and Proudhon were competing socialist theorists with fundamentally different visions of social organization. ### [Catherine II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/characters/catherine_ii) _psychological_ Proudhon engaged with Catherine II's ideas or legacy as a subject of his philosophical critique of property and power. ### [Sainte-Beuve](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/characters/sainte_beuve) _friendship_ Proudhon and Sainte-Beuve were intellectual friends and correspondents, with Sainte-Beuve later writing a biography of Proudhon. ### [Louis Bonaparte](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/characters/louis_bonaparte) _rivalry_ Proudhon was a fierce critic of Louis Bonaparte's authoritarian regime and wrote polemics against him. ### [M. Blanqui](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/characters/m_blanqui) _rivalry_ M. Blanqui and Proudhon were ideological opponents, with Blanqui representing conservative economic views that Proudhon attacked. ### [Fallot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/characters/fallot) _friendship_ Fallot was a close friend and early intellectual influence on Proudhon, sharing his interest in social reform. ### [Gauthier](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/characters/gauthier) _professional_ Gauthier was a colleague or correspondent of Proudhon, involved in mutual intellectual or publishing endeavors. ### [Toullier](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/characters/toullier) _rivalry_ Proudhon debated Toullier's legal theories on property, opposing his conservative interpretations. ### [M. Jobard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/characters/m_jobard) _rivalry_ M. Jobard and Proudhon were intellectual adversaries, with Jobard critiquing Proudhon's property theories. ### [Sainte-Beuve](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/characters/sainte_beuve) _friendship_ Proudhon and Sainte-Beuve were intellectual friends and correspondents, with Sainte-Beuve later writing a biography of Proudhon. ### [M. Jobard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/characters/m_jobard) _rivalry_ M. Jobard and Proudhon were intellectual adversaries, with Jobard critiquing Proudhon's property theories. ### [Charles Fourier](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/characters/charles_fourier) _rivalry_ Fourier and Proudhon were competing socialist theorists with fundamentally different visions of social organization. ## In the story ### [P. J. Proudhon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/p-j-proudhon) Central figure of the chapter; his life, works, and intellectual evolution are chronicled from his early memoirs to his death. ### [What Is Property?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/what-is-property) Author and primary voice; poses the central question and develops the critique of property. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/i) Author and narrator; presents the central argument that property is robbery and outlines his method of inquiry. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/ii) Author and narrator; brings an action petitoire against property, demanding its abolition. ### [§ 1: Property as a Natural Right](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/1-property-as-a-natural-right) Author and central voice; critiques property as a natural right and announces his examination of occupation and labor as titles to property. ### [§ 2: Occupation, as the Title to Property](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/2-occupation-as-the-title-to-property) Author and primary voice; critiques occupation as a title to property and examines various philosophical defenses. ### [§ 3: Civil Law as the Foundation and Sanction of Property](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/3-civil-law-as-the-foundation-and-sanction-of-property) Author and central voice, critiquing civil law and property. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/iii) Author and primary voice; argues against labor as a basis for property and calls for restitution of appropriated labor. ### [§ 1: The Land Cannot Be Appropriated](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/1-the-land-cannot-be-appropriated) Author and primary voice; critiques economists and argues against land appropriation. ### [§ 2: Universal Consent No Justification of Property](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/2-universal-consent-no-justification-of-property) Author and primary voice arguing against universal consent as a justification for property. ### [§ 3: Prescription Gives No Title to Property](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/3-prescription-gives-no-title-to-property) Author and central voice; argues against prescription as a title to property, asserting equality and reason. ### [§ 5: That Labor Leads to Equality of Property](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/5-that-labor-leads-to-equality-of-property) Author and primary voice; argues that labor gives a natural right of property to the laborer. ### [§ 6: That in Society All Wages Are Equal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/6-that-in-society-all-wages-are-equal) Author and primary voice; argues for equal wages and critiques St. Simonian and Fourierist principles. ### [§ 7: That Inequality of Powers Is the Necessary Condition of Equality of Fortunes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/7-that-inequality-of-powers-is-the-necessary-condition-of-equality-of-fortunes) Author and primary voice; argues that inequality of powers is the condition for equality of fortunes. ### [§ 8: That, from the Standpoint of Justice, Labor Destroys Property](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/8-that-from-the-standpoint-of-justice-labor-destroys-property) Author and primary voice; argues that labor destroys property through social interdependence. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/iv) Author and primary voice; presents the argument that property is impossible through mathematical proof. ### [Demonstration](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/demonstration) Author and primary voice, presenting arguments against property. ### [First Proposition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/first-proposition) Author and primary voice; argues against property and critiques economists. ### [Second Proposition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/second-proposition) Author and primary voice; presents the economic argument against property. ### [Third Proposition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/third-proposition) Author and central voice; presents the third proposition and the arithmetical demonstration of property's impossibility. ### [Fourth Proposition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/fourth-proposition) Author and primary voice; argues that property is homicide and impossible. ### [Fifth Proposition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/fifth-proposition) Author and central voice; argues property leads to societal self-destruction. ### [Sixth Proposition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/sixth-proposition) Author and primary voice arguing that property is the mother of tyranny. ### [Seventh Proposition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/seventh-proposition) Author and central voice; presents the seventh proposition and critiques property through economic reasoning. ### [Eighth Proposition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/eighth-proposition) Author and central voice; presents the eighth proposition against property. ### [Ninth Proposition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/ninth-proposition) Author and primary voice, presenting the ninth proposition and critiquing property through economic and legal analysis. ### [Tenth Proposition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/tenth-proposition) Author and primary voice; presents the tenth proposition and recapitulates earlier arguments against property. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/v) Author and narrator, undertaking the psychological exposition of justice and injustice. ### [§ 1 Of the Moral Sense in Man and the Animals](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/part-i-1) Author and narrator; presents the argument that human morality differs from animal morality only in degree, not in kind. ### [§ 2](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/part-i-2) Author and primary voice; develops the theory of justice as sociability combined with equality, and critiques property as inequality. ### [§ 3](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/part-i-3) Author and primary voice; argues for equality of conditions, critiques property, and distinguishes justice from équité. ### [§ 1](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/part-ii-1) Author and primary voice, analyzing the origins of property and social mistakes. ### [§ 2 Characteristics of Communism and of Property](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/part-ii-2) Author and central voice; critiques both communism and property, and outlines the historical development of justice. ### [Determination of the Third Form of Society. Conclusion.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/part-ii-3) Author and central voice; presents the synthesis of communism and property as liberty, and delivers the concluding exhortation. ### [Second Memoir: A Letter to M. Blanqui](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/second-memoir-a-letter-to-m-blanqui) Author of the memoir, defending his critique of property and clarifying his intentions. ### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/endnotes) Author of the endnotes, expanding on critiques of property and defending equality. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/characters/pierre_joseph_proudhon - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/characters