<<One common man fills his time with helping his neighbors, keeping their lawn mowers running free of charge, simply because doing the work pleased him, not expecting payment, and you say he should be damned for his selfishness. The dictatorship of the proletariat is a tyranny.>>
Well, let's put it this way - - he decides the world will be a better place if he fixes people's lawnmowers free in his home. Some of the lawnmower owners agree.
The people, through laws passed by their duly elected representatives, have decided that the world will be a better place if property use is determined by the Official Plan and enforced equally across the board by City By-Law Enforcement Officers, subject to certain built-in procedures whereby Joe Tennant or anyone else can apply for exemptions.
To be perfectly frank about it, there are probably a hell of a lot more people who voted for the municipal government that enacted the Official Plan and related zoning by-laws than there are of Joe Tennant and all the lawn-mower owners who took advantage of his free services combined. Their interests in orderly property use and development in a capitalist society in which they each own or rent property are apparently more important to them than free lawnmower repair, although to Joe Tennant and his lawnmower owners, the reverse is true. Since the majority rules, the zoning by-law wins. If Joe can convince enough citizens that free lawn mower repair is more important than orderly property use and development, they can elect a new municipal government that will amend the Official Plan and the zoning by-laws their way. Or if Joe can convince the local Committee of Adjustment that he ought to be given a "minor variance consent" (exemption from the by-law) then he can carry on his usual practices. Until then, he better just follow the law. On both sides of our common border, people will tell you, "You don't fight City Hall." That's generally good advice. Not always, but probably 19 times out of 20.