The First Thing We Do

The First Thing We Do, Let's Love All the Lawyers

March 4, 2002

We all know the famous phrase from Henry VI, Part II, “The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.” This is often cited as proof that Shakespeare despised lawyers and is often quoted by individuals to show disdain of the services that lawyers offer.

My reading of the play, however, indicates that in the context in which this statement was made, Shakespeare was actually praising lawyers and especially their protection of the individual’s property and personal liberty.

Shakespeare’s play describes the conflict between the House of Lancaster and the House of York, which is known in history as the “Wars of the Roses.”

Because the House of York believed that it had a better claim to the crown, York decides to stir up a rebellion and in Act III Scene I, he admits that he has “seduced a headstrong Kentishman, John Cade of Ashford to make a commotion, as full well he can.” The purpose is to start a rebellion and therefore start a war in which York can assert his claim.

In Act IV Scene II, Cade is discussing how they will start the war and begin oppression of the people by taking away their property and individual liberty but his collaborator, by the name of Dick, states that “The first thing we do, lets kill all the lawyers.” The context in which this is stated is that if you are going to oppress the people you need to kill the lawyers first.

March 4, 2002

The Best of John V. Denson

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$bio: John V. Denson [send him mail] is a practicing attorney in Alabama and an adjunct scholar at the Mises Institute. He is the author of A Century of War, and editor of The Costs of War and Reassessing the Presidency.

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John V. Denson [send him mail] is a practicing attorney in Alabama and an adjunct scholar at the Mises Institute. He is the author of A Century of War, and editor of The Costs of War and Reassessing the Presidency.

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