Cite as: 528 U. S. 152 (2000)
Opinion of the Court
self-representation was the only feasible alternative to asserting no defense at all. Thus, a government's recognition of an indigent defendant's right to represent himself was comparable to bestowing upon the homeless beggar a "right" to take shelter in the sewers of Paris. Not surprisingly, early precedent demonstrates that this "right" was not always used to the defendant's advantage as a shield, but rather was often employed by the prosecution as a sword. The principal case cited in Faretta is illustrative. In Adams v. United States ex rel. McCann, 317 U. S. 269 (1942), the Court relied on the existence of the right of self-representation as the basis for finding that an unrepresented defendant had waived his right to a trial by jury.4
17th century. The prejudice persisted into the 18th century as 'the lower classes came to identify lawyers with the upper class.' The years of Revolution and Confederation saw an upsurge of antilawyer sentiment, a 'sudden revival, after the War of the Revolution, of the old dislike and distrust of lawyers as a class.' " Faretta, 422 U. S., at 826-827 (footnotes omitted).
4 Similarly, in the state cases cited by the Court in Faretta, see 422 U. S., at 813, n. 9, the defendant's right to represent himself was often the predicate for upholding the waiver of an important right. See, e. g., Mackreth v. Wilson, 31 Ala. App. 191, 193, 15 So. 2d 112, 113 (1943) (failure of the defendant to request counsel equaled an "election" to proceed pro se); Lockard v. State, 92 Idaho 813, 822, 451 P. 2d 1014, 1023 (1969) (court relied on defendant's right of self-representation to uphold an uncounseled guilty plea, despite claims that it was coerced); People v. Nelson, 47 Ill. 2d 570, 268 N. E. 2d 2, 3 (1971) (defendant's pro se status is predicate for upholding waiver of indictment and jury trial and also to uphold guilty plea); Allen v. Commonwealth, 324 Mass. 558, 562-563, 87 N. E. 2d 192, 195 (1949) (life sentence upheld despite fact that indigent defendant was unable to procure counsel); Westberry v. State, 254 A. 2d 44, 46 (Me. 1969) (guilty plea upheld because defendant failed to claim indigency or to request counsel); State v. Hollman, 232 S. C. 489, 499, 102 S. E. 2d 873, 878 (1958) (right of defendant to represent himself used as basis for finding he had no right to appointed counsel). But see State v. Thomlinson, 78 S. D. 235, 237, 100 N. W. 2d 121, 122 (1960) (vacating conviction based on court's failure to allow defendant to represent himself); State v. Penderville, 2 Utah 2d 281, 287, 272 P. 2d 195, 199 (1954) (same); Cappetta v. State, 204 So. 2d 913, 918 (Fla. App. 1967) (same), rev'd, State v. Cappetta, 216 So. 2d
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