second treatise of government-第18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！

　subject　of　any　common…wealth；　as　may　oblige　　his　son　to　be　of　that　community；　if　he　will　enjoy　those　　possessions　which　were　his　father's；　because　that　estate　being　　his　father's　property；　he　may　dispose；　or　settle　it；　as　he　　pleases。　　　　　　Sec。　117。　　And　this　has　generally　given　the　occasion　to　　mistake　in　this　matter；　because　commonwealths　not　permitting　any　　part　of　their　dominions　to　be　dismembered；　nor　to　be　enjoyed　by　　any　but　those　of　their　community；　the　son　cannot　ordinarily　enjoy　　the　possessions　of　his　father；　but　under　the　same　terms　his　　father　did；　by　becoming　a　member　of　the　society；　whereby　he　puts　　himself　presently　under　the　government　he　finds　there　　established；　as　much　as　any　other　subject　of　that　common…wealth。　　　And　thus　the　consent　of　freemen；　born　under　government；　which　　only　makes　them　members　of　it；　being　given　separately　in　their　　turns；　as　each　comes　to　be　of　age；　and　not　in　a　multitude　　together；　people　take　no　notice　of　it；　and　thinking　it　not　done　　at　all；　or　not　necessary；　conclude　they　are　naturally　subjects　as　　they　are　men。　　　　　　Sec。　118。　　But；　it　is　plain；　governments　themselves　　understand　it　otherwise；　they　claim　no　power　over　the　son；　　because　of　that　they　had　over　the　father；　nor　look　on　children　as　　being　their　subjects；　by　their　fathers　being　so。　　If　a　subject　of　　England　have　a　child；　by　an　English　woman　in　France；　whose　　subject　is　he？　　Not　the　king　of　England's；　for　he　must　have　leave　　to　be　admitted　to　the　privileges　of　it：　nor　the　king　of　France's；　　for　how　then　has　his　father　a　liberty　to　bring　him　away；　and　　breed　him　as　he　pleases？　and　who　ever　was　judged　as　a　traytor　or　　deserter；　if　he　left；　or　warred　against　a　country；　for　being　　barely　born　in　it　of　parents　that　were　aliens　there？　　It　is　plain　　then；　by　the　practice　of　governments　themselves；　as　well　as　by　　the　law　of　right　reason；　that　a　child　is　born　a　subject　of　no　　country　or　government。　　He　is　under　his　father's　tuition　and　　authority；　till　he　comes　to　age　of　discretion；　and　then　he　is　a　　freeman；　at　liberty　what　government　he　will　put　himself　under；　　what　body　politic　he　will　unite　himself　to：　for　if　an　　Englishman's　son；　born　in　France；　be　at　liberty；　and　may　do　so；　　it　is　evident　there　is　no　tie　upon　him　by　his　father's　being　a　　subject　of　this　kingdom；　nor　is　he　bound　up　by　any　compact　of　his　　ancestors。　　And　why　then　hath　not　his　son；　by　the　same　reason；　　the　same　liberty；　though　he　be　born　any　where　else？　　Since　the　

power　that　a　father　hath　naturally　over　his　children；　is　the　　same；　where…ever　they　be　born；　and　the　ties　of　natural　　obligations；　are　not　bounded　by　the　positive　limits　of　kingdoms　　and　commonwealths。　　　　　　Sec。　119。　　Every　man　being；　as　has　been　shewed；　naturally　　free；　and　nothing　being　able　to　put　him　into　subjection　to　any　　earthly　power；　but　only　his　own　consent；　it　is　to　be　considered；　　what　shall　be　understood　to　be　a　sufficient　declaration　of　a　　man's　consent；　to　make　him　subject　to　the　laws　of　any　government。　　　There　is　a　common　distinction　of　an　express　and　a　tacit　consent；　　which　will　concern　our　present　case。　　No　body　doubts　but　an　　express　consent；　of　any　man　entering　into　any　society；　makes　him　　a　perfect　member　of　that　society；　a　subject　of　that　government。　　　The　difficulty　is；　what　ought　to　be　looked　upon　as　a　tacit　　consent；　and　how　far　it　binds；　i。e。　　　how　far　any　one　shall　be　　looked　on　to　have　consented；　and　thereby　submitted　to　any　　government；　where　he　has　made　no　expressions　of　it　at　all。　　And　　to　this　I　say；　that　every　man；　that　hath　any　possessions；　or　　enjoyment；　of　any　part　of　the　dominions　of　any　government；　cloth　　thereby　give　his　tacit　consent；　and　is　as　far　forth　obliged　to　　obedience　to　the　laws　of　that　government；　during　such　enjoyment；　　as　any　one　under　it；　whether　this　his　possession　be　of　land；　to　　him　and　his　heirs　for　ever；　or　a　lodging　only　for　a　week；　or　　whether　it　be　barely　travelling　freely　on　the　highway；　and　in　　effect；　it　reaches　as　far　as　the　very　being　of　any　one　within　the　　territories　of　that　government。　　　　　　Sec。　120。　　To　understand　this　the　better；　it　is　fit　to　　consider；　that　every　man；　when　he　at　first　incorporates　himself　　into　any　commonwealth；　he；　by　his　uniting　himself　thereunto；　　annexed　also；　and　submits　to　the　community；　those　possessions；　　which　he　has；　or　shall　acquire；　that　do　not　already　belong　to　any　　other　government：　for　it　would　be　a　direct　contradiction；　for　any　　one　to　enter　into　society　with　others　for　the　securing　and　　regulating　of　property；　and　yet　to　suppose　his　land；　whose　　property　is　to　be　regulated　by　the　laws　of　the　society；　should　be　　exempt　from　the　jurisdiction　of　that　government；　to　which　he　　himself；　the　proprietor　of　the　land；　is　a　subject。　　　By　the　same　　act　therefore；　whereby　any　one　unites　his　person；　which　was　　before　free；　to　any　common…wealth；　by　the　same　he　unites　his　　possessions；　which　were　before　free；　to　it　also；　and　they　become；　　both　of　them；　person　and　possession；　subject　to　the　government　　and　dominion　of　that　common…wealth；　as　long　as　it　hath　a　being。　　　VVhoever　therefore；　from　thenceforth；　by　inheritance；　purchase；　　permission；　or　otherways；　enjoys　any　part　of　the　land；　so　annexed　　to；　and　under　the　government　of　that　common…wealth；　must　take　it　　with　the　condition　it　is　under；　that　is；　of　submitting　to　the　　government　of　the　common…wealth；　under　whose　jurisdiction　it　is；　　as　far　forth　as　any　subject　of　it。　　　　　　Sec。　121。　　But　since　the　government　has　a　direct　　jurisdiction　only　over　the　land；　and　reaches　the　possessor　of　it；　　（before　he　has　actually　incorporated　himself　in　the　society）　only　　as　he　dwells　upon；　and　enjoys　that；　the　obligation　any　one　is　　under；　by　virtue　of　such　enjoyment；　to　submit　to　the　government；　　begins　and　ends　with　the　enjoyment；　so　that　whenever　the　owner；　　who　has　given　nothing　but　such　a　tacit　consent　to　the　government；　　will；　by　donation；　sale；　or　otherwise；　quit　the　said　possession；　　he　is　at　liberty　to　go　and　incorporate　himself　into　any　other　　common…wealth；　or　to　agree　with　others　to　begin　a　new　one；　in　　vacuis　locis；　in　any　part　of　the　world；　they　can　find　free　and　　unpossessed：　whereas　he；　that　has　once；　by　actual　agreement；　and　　any　express　declaration；　given　his　consent　to　be　of　any　common…　wealth；　is　perpetually　and　indispensably　obliged　to　be；　and　　remain　unalterably　a　subject　to　it；　and　can　never　be　again　in　the　　liberty　of　the　state　of　nature；　unless；　by　any　calamity；　the　　government　he　was　under　comes　to　be　dissolved；　or　else　by　some　　public　act　cuts　him　off　from　being　any　longer　a　member　of　it。

　　　　　Sec。　122。　　But　submitting　to　the　laws　of　any　country；　living　　quietly；　and　enjoying　privileges　and　protection　under　them；　makes　　not　a　man　a　member　of　that　society：　this　is　only　a　local　　protection　and　homage　due　to　and　from　all　those；　who；　not　being　　in　a　state　of　war；　come　within　the　territories　belonging　to　any　　government；　to　all　parts　whereof　the　force　of　its　laws　extends。　　　But　this　no　more　makes　a　man　a　member　of　that　society；　a　　perpetual　subject　of　that　common…wealth；　than　it　would　make　a　man　　a　subject　to　another；　in　whose　family　he　found　it　convenient　to　　abide　for　some　time；　though；　whilst　he　continued　in　it；　he　were　　obliged　to　comply　with　the　laws；　and　submit　to　the　government　he　　found　there。　　And　thus　we　see；　that　foreigners；　by　living　all　　their　lives　under　another　government；　and　enjoying　the　privileges　　and　protection　of　it；　though　they　are　bound；　even　in　conscience；　　to　submit　to　its　administration；　as　far　forth　as　any　denison；　yet　　do　not　thereby　come　to　be　subjects　or　members　of　that　common…　wealth。　　Nothing　can　make　any　man　so；　but　his　actually　entering　　into　it　by　positive　engagement；　and　express　promise　and　compact。　　　This　is　that；　which　I　think；　concerning　the　beginning　of　　political　societies；　and　that　consent　which　makes　any　one　a　　member　of　any　common…wealth。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAP。　　IX。　　　　　　　　　　　　Of　the　Ends　of　Political　Society　and　Government。

　　　　Sec。　123。　　IF　man　in　the　state　of　nature　be　so　free；　as　has　　been　said；　if　he　be　absolute　lord　of　his　own　person　and　　possessions；　equal　to　the　greatest；　and　subject　to　no　body；　why　　will　he　part　with　his　freedom？　why　will　he　give　up　this　empire；　　and　subject　himself　to　the　dominion　and　controul　of　any　other　　power？　　To　which　it　is　obvious　to　answer；　that　though　in　the　　state　of　nature　he　hath　such　a　right；　yet　the　enjoyment　of　it　is　　very　uncertain；　and　constantly　exposed　to　the　invasion　of　others：　　for　all　being　kings　as　much　as　he；　every　man　his　equal；　and　the　　greater　part　no　strict　observers　of　equity　and　justice；　the　　enjoyment　of　the　property　he　has　in　this　state　is　very　unsafe；　　very　unsecure。　　This　makes　him　willing　to　quit　a　condition；　　which；　however　free；　is　full　of　fears　and　continual　dangers：　and　　it　is　not　without　reason；　that　he　seeks　out；　and　is　willing　to　　join　in　society　with　others；　who　are　already　united；　or　have　a　　mind　to　unite；　for　the　mutual　preservation　of　their　lives；　　liberties　and　estates；　which　I　call　by　the　general　name；　　property。　　　　　　Sec。　124。　　The　great　and　chief　end；　therefore；　of　men's　　uniting　into　commonwealths；　and　putting　themselves　under　　government；　is　the　preservation　of　their　property。　　To　which　in　　the　state　of　nature　there　are　man