second treatise of government-第14部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

e　was　　no　way　but　only　by　growing　into　composition　and　agreement　amongst　　themselves；　by　ordaining　some　kind　of　govemment　public；　and　by　　yielding　themselves　subject　thereunto；　that　unto　whom　they　　granted　authority　to　rule　and　govem；　by　them　the　peace；　　tranquillity　and　happy　estate　of　the　rest　might　be　procured。　　Men　　always　knew　that　where　force　and　injury　was　offered；　they　might　　be　defenders　of　themselves；　they　knew　that　however　men　may　seek　　their　own　commodity；　yet　if　this　were　done　with　injury　unto　　others；　it　was　not　to　be　suffered；　but　by　all　men；　and　all　good　　means　to　be　withstood。　　Finally；　they　knew　that　no　man　might　in　　reason　take　upon　him　to　determine　his　own　right；　and　according　to　　his　own　determination　proceed　in　maintenance　thereof；　in　as　much　　as　every　man　is　towards　himself；　and　them　whom　he　greatly　　affects；　partial；　and　therefore　that　strifes　and　troubles　would　　be　endless；　except　they　gave　their　common　consent；　all　to　be　　ordered　by　some；　whom　they　should　agree　upon；　without　which　　consent　there　would　be　no　reason　that　one　man　should　take　upon　　him　to　be　lord　or　judge　over　another；　Hooker's　Eccl。　Pol。　l。　i。　　sect。　10。）　　　　　　　　Sec。　92。　　For　he　that　thinks　absolute　power　purifies　men's　　blood；　and　corrects　the　baseness　of　human　nature；　need　read　but　　the　history　of　this；　or　any　other　age；　to　be　convinced　of　the　　contrary。　　He　that　would　have　been　insolent　and　injurious　in　the　　woods　of　America；　would　not　probably　be　much　better　in　a　throne；　　where　perhaps　learning　and　religion　shall　be　found　out　to　justify　　all　that　he　shall　do　to　his　subjects；　and　the　sword　presently　　silence　all　those　that　dare　question　it：　for　what　the　protection　　of　absolute　monarchy　is；　what　kind　of　fathers　of　their　countries　　it　makes　princes　to　be　and　to　what　a　degree　of　happiness　and　　security　it　carries　civil　society；　where　this　sort　of　government　　is　grown　to　perfection；　he　that　will　look　into　the　late　relation　　of　Ceylon；　may　easily　see。　　　　　　　　Sec。　93。　　In　absolute　monarchies　indeed；　as　well　as　other　　governments　of　the　world；　the　subjects　have　an　appeal　to　the　law；　　and　judges　to　decide　any　controversies；　and　restrain　any　violence　　that　may　happen　betwixt　the　subjects　themselves；　one　amongst　　another。　　This　every　one　thinks　necessary；　and　believes　he　　deserves　to　be　thought　a　declared　enemy　to　society　and　mankind；　　who　should　go　about　to　take　it　away。　　But　whether　this　be　from　a　

true　love　of　mankind　and　society；　and　such　a　charity　as　we　owe　　all　one　to　another；　there　is　reason　to　doubt：　for　this　is　no　more　　than　what　every　man；　who　loves　his　own　power；　profit；　or　　greatness；　may　and　naturally　must　do；　keep　those　animals　from　　hurting；　or　destroying　one　another；　who　labour　and　drudge　only　　for　his　pleasure　and　advantage；　and　so　are　taken　care　of；　not　out　　of　any　love　the　master　has　for　them；　but　love　of　himself；　and　the　　profit　they　bring　him：　for　if　it　be　asked；　what　security；　what　　fence　is　there；　in　such　a　state；　against　the　violence　and　　oppression　of　this　absolute　ruler？　the　very　question　can　scarce　　be　borne。　　They　are　ready　to　tell　you；　that　it　deserves　death　　only　to　ask　after　safety。　　Betwixt　subject　and　subject；　they　will　　grant；　there　must　be　measures；　laws　and　judges；　for　their　mutual　　peace　and　security：　but　as　for　the　ruler；　he　ought　to　be　　absolute；　and　is　above　all　such　circumstances；　because　he　has　　power　to　do　more　hurt　and　wrong；　it　is　right　when　he　does　it。　　To　　ask　how　you　may　be　guarded　from　harm；　or　injury；　on　that　side　　where　the　strongest　hand　is　to　do　it；　is　presently　the　voice　of　　faction　and　rebellion：　as　if　when　men　quitting　the　state　of　　nature　entered　into　society；　they　agreed　that　all　of　them　but　　one；　should　be　under　the　restraint　of　laws；　but　that　he　should　　still　retain　all　the　liberty　of　the　state　of　nature；　increased　　with　power；　and　made　licentious　by　impunity。　　This　is　to　think；　　that　men　are　so　foolish；　that　they　take　care　to　avoid　what　　mischiefs　may　be　done　them　by　pole…cats；　or　foxes；　but　are　　content；　nay；　think　it　safety；　to　be　devoured　by　lions。　　　　　　　　Sec。　94。　　But　whatever　flatterers　may　talk　to　amuse　people's　　understandings；　it　hinders　not　men　from　feeling；　and　when　they　　perceive；　that　any　man；　in　what　station　soever；　is　out　of　the　　bounds　of　the　civil　society　which　they　are　of；　and　that　they　have　　no　appeal　on　earth　against　any　harm；　they　may　receive　from　him；　　they　are　apt　to　think　themselves　in　the　state　of　nature；　in　　respect　of　him　whom　they　find　to　be　so；　and　to　take　care；　as　soon　　as　they　can；　to　have　that　safety　and　security　in　civil　society；　　for　which　it　was　first　instituted；　and　for　which　only　they　　entered　into　it。　　And　therefore；　though　perhaps　at　first　；　（as　　shall　be　shewed　more　at　large　hereafter　in　the　following　part　of　　this　discourse）　some　one　good　and　excellent　man　having　got　a　　pre　…eminency　amongst　the　rest；　had　this　deference　paid　to　his　　goodness　and　virtue；　as　to　a　kind　of　natural　authority；　that　the　　chief　rule；　with　arbitration　of　their　differences；　by　a　tacit　　consent　devolved　into　his　hands；　without　any　other　caution；　but　　the　assurance　they　had　of　his　uprightness　and　wisdom；　yet　when　　time；　giving　authority；　and　（as　some　men　would　persuade　us）　　sacredness　of　customs；　which　the　negligent；　and　unforeseeing　　innocence　of　the　first　ages　began；　had　brought　in　successors　of　　another　stamp；　the　people　finding　their　properties　not　secure　　under　the　government；　as　then　it　was；　（whereas　government　has　no　　other　end　but　the　preservation　of　*　property）　could　never　be　safe　　nor　at　rest；　nor　think　themselves　in　civil　society；　till　the　　legislature　was　placed　in　collective　bodies　of　men；　call　them　　senate；　parliament；　or　what　you　please。　　By　which　means　every　　single　person　became　subject；　equally　with　other　the　meanest　men；　　to　those　laws；　which　he　himself；　as　part　of　the　legislative；　had　　established；　nor　could　any　one；　by　his　own　authority；　avoid　the　　force　of　the　law；　when　once　made；　nor　by　any　pretence　of　　superiority　plead　exemption；　thereby　to　license　his　own；　or　the　　miscarriages　of　any　of　his　dependents。**　　No　man　in　civil　society　　can　be　exempted　from　the　laws　of　it：　for　if　any　man　may　do　what　　he　thinks　fit；　and　there　be　no　appeal　on　earth；　for　redress　or　　security　against　any　harm　he　shall　do；　I　ask；　whether　he　be　not　　perfectly　still　in　the　state　of　nature；　and　so　can　be　no　part　or　　member　of　that　civil　society；　unless　any　one　will　say；　the　state　　of　nature　and　civil　society　are　one　and　the　same　thing；　which　I　　have　never　yet　found　any　one　so　great　a　patron　of　anarchy　as　to　　affirm。　　

　　　　　（*At　the　first；　when　some　certain　kind　of　regiment　was　once　　appointed；　it　may　be　that　nothing　was　then　farther　thought　upon　　for　the　manner　of　goveming；　but　all　permitted　unto　their　wisdom　　and　discretion；　which　were　to　rule；　till　by　experience　they　found　　this　for　all　parts　very　inconvenient；　so　as　the　thing　which　they　　had　devised　for　a　remedy；　did　indeed　but　increase　the　sore；　which　　it　should　have　cured。　　They　saw；　that　to　live　by　one　man's　will；　　became　the　cause　of　all　men's　misery。　　This　constrained　them　to　　come　unto　laws；　wherein　all　men　might　see　their　duty　beforehand；　　and　know　the　penalties　of　transgressing　them。　　Hooker's　Eccl。　　Pol。　l。　i。　sect。　10。）　　　　　　　　（**Civil　law　being　the　act　of　the　whole　body　politic；　cloth　　therefore　over…rule　each　several　part　of　the　same　body。　　Hooker；　　ibid。）　　

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAP。　　VIII。

　　　　　　　　Of　the　Beginning　of　Political　Societies。

　　　　　Sec。　95。　　MEN　being；　as　has　been　said；　by　nature；　all　free；　　equal；　and　independent；　no　one　can　be　put　out　of　this　estate；　and　　subjected　to　the　political　power　of　another；　without　his　own　　consent。　　The　only　way　whereby　any　one　divests　himself　of　his　　natural　liberty；　and　puts　on　the　bonds　of　civil　society；　is　by　　agreeing　with　other　men　to　join　and　unite　into　a　community　for　　their　comfortable；　safe；　and　peaceable　living　one　amongst　　another；　in　a　secure　enjoyment　of　their　properties；　and　a　greater　　security　against　any；　that　are　not　of　it。　　This　any　number　of　men　　may　do；　because　it　injures　not　the　freedom　of　the　rest；　they　are　　left　as　they　were　in　the　liberty　of　the　state　of　nature。　　When　　any　number　of　men　have　so　consented　to　make　one　community　or　　government；　they　are　thereby　presently　incorporated；　and　make　one　　body　politic；　wherein　the　majority　have　a　right　to　act　and　　conclude　the　rest。　　　　　　Sec。　96。　　For　when　any　number　of　men　have；　by　the　consent　of　　every　individual；　made　a　community；　they　have　thereby　made　that　　community　one　body；　with　a　power　to　act　as　one　body；　which　is　　only　by　the　will　and　determination　of　the　majority：　for　that　　which　acts　any　community；　being　only　the　consent　of　the　　individuals　of　it；　and　it　being　necessary　to　that　which　is　one　　body　to　move　one　way；　it　is　necessary　the　body　should　move　that　　way　whither　the　greater　force　carries　it；　which　is　the　consent　of　　the　majority：　or　else　it　is　impossible　it　should　act　or　continue　　one　body；　one　community；　which　the　consent　of　every　individual　　that　united　into　it；　agreed　that　it　should；　and　so　every　one　is　　bound　by　that　consent　to　be　concluded　by　the　majority。　　And　　therefore　we　see；　that　in　assemblies；　impowered　to　act　by　　positive　laws；　where　no　number　is　set　by　that　positive　law　w