second treatise of government-第12章

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tever　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　which　　impowers　them；　the　act　of　the　majority　passes　for　the　act　of　the　　whole；　and　of　course　determines；　as　having；　by　the　law　of　nature　　and　reason；　the　power　of　the　whole。　　　　　　　　Sec。　97。　　And　thus　every　man；　by　consenting　with　others　to　　make　one　body　politic　under　one　government；　puts　himself　under　an　　obligation；　to　every　one　of　that　society；　to　submit　to　the　　determination　of　the　majority；　and　to　be　concluded　by　it；　or　else　　this　original　compact；　whereby　he　with　others　incorporates　into　　one　society；　would　signify　nothing；　and　be　no　compact；　if　he　be　　left　free；　and　under　no　other　ties　than　he　was　in　before　in　the　　state　of　nature。　　For　what　appearance　would　there　be　of　any　　compact？　what　new　engagement　if　he　were　no　farther　tied　by　any　　decrees　of　the　society；　than　he　himself　thought　fit；　and　did　　actually　consent　to？　　This　would　be　still　as　great　a　liberty；　as　　he　himself　had　before　his　compact；　or　any　one　else　in　the　state　　of　nature　hath；　who　may　submit　himself；　and　consent　to　any　acts　

of　it　if　he　thinks　fit。　　　　　　　　Sec。　98。　　For　if　the　consent　of　the　majority　shall　not；　in　　reason；　be　received　as　the　act　of　the　whole；　and　conclude　every　　individual；　nothing　but　the　consent　of　every　individual　can　make　　any　thing　to　be　the　act　of　the　whole：　but　such　a　consent　is　next　　to　impossible　ever　to　be　had；　if　we　consider　the　infirmities　of　　health；　and　avocations　of　business；　which　in　a　number；　though　　much　less　than　that　of　a　common…wealth；　will　necessarily　keep　　many　away　from　the　public　assembly。　　To　which　if　we　add　the　　variety　of　opinions；　and　contrariety　of　interests；　which　　unavoidably　happen　in　all　collections　of　men；　the　coming　into　　society　upon　such　terms　would　be　only　like　Cato's　coming　into　the　　theatre；　only　to　go　out　again。　　Such　a　constitution　as　this　would　　make　the　mighty　Leviathan　of　a　shorter　duration；　than　the　　feeblest　creatures；　and　not　let　it　outlast　the　day　it　was　bom　in：　　which　cannot　be　supposed；　till　we　can　think；　that　rational　　creatures　should　desire　and　constitute　societies　only　to　be　　dissolved：　for　where　the　majority　cannot　conclude　the　rest；　there　　they　cannot　act　as　one　body；　and　consequently　will　be　immediately　　dissolved　again。　　　　　　　　Sec。　99。　　Whosoever　therefore　out　of　a　state　of　nature　unite　　into　a　community；　must　be　understood　to　give　up　all　the　power；　　necessary　to　the　ends　for　which　they　unite　into　society；　to　the　　majority　of　the　community；　unless　they　expresly　agreed　in　any　　number　greater　than　the　majority。　　And　this　is　done　by　barely　　agreeing　to　unite　into　one　political　society；　which　is　all　the　　compact　that　is；　or　needs　be；　between　the　individuals；　that　enter　　into；　or　make　up　a　commonwealth。　　And　thus　that；　which　begins　and　　actually　constitutes　any　political　society；　is　nothing　but　the　　consent　of　any　number　of　freemen　capable　of　a　majority　to　unite　　and　incorporate　into　such　a　society。　　And　this　is　that；　and　that　　only；　which　did；　or　could　give　beginning　to　any　lawful　government　　in　the　world。　　　　　　　　Sec。　100。　　To　this　I　find　two　objections　made。　　　　　　First；　That　there　are　no　instances　to　be　found　in　story；　of　　a　company　of　men　independent；　and　equal　one　amongst　another；　that　　met　together；　and　in　this　way　began　and　set　up　a　government。　　　　　　　　Secondly；　It　is　impossible　of　right；　that　men　should　do　so；　　because　all　men　being　born　under　government；　they　are　to　submit　　to　that；　and　are　not　at　liberty　to　begin　a　new　one。　　　　　　　　Sec。　101。　　To　the　first　there　is　this　to　answer；　That　it　is　　not　at　all　to　be　wondered；　that　history　gives　us　but　a　very　　little　account　of　men；　that　lived　together　in　the　state　of　　nature。　　The　inconveniences　of　that　condition；　and　the　love　and　　want　of　society；　no　sooner　brought　any　number　of　them　together；　　but　they　presently　united　and　incorporated；　if　they　designed　to　　continue　together。　　And　if　we　may　not　suppose　men　ever　to　have　　been　in　the　state　of　nature；　because　we　hear　not　much　of　them　in　　such　a　state；　we　may　as　well　suppose　the　armies　of　Salmanasser　or　　Xerxes　were　never　children；　because　we　hear　little　of　them；　till　　they　were　men；　and　imbodied　in　armies。　　Government　is　every　where　　antecedent　to　records；　and　letters　seldom　come　in　amongst　a　　people　till　a　long　continuation　of　civil　society　has；　by　other　　more　necessary　arts；　provided　for　their　safety；　ease；　and　plenty：　　and　then　they　begin　to　look　after　the　history　of　their　founders；　　and　search　into　their　original；　when　they　have　outlived　the　　memory　of　it：　for　it　is　with　commonwealths　as　with　particular　　persons；　they　are　commonly　ignorant　of　their　own　births　and　　infancies：　and　if　they　know　any　thing　of　their　original；　they　are　　beholden　for　it；　to　the　accidental　records　that　others　have　kept　　of　it。　　And　those　that　we　have；　of　the　beginning　of　any　polities　　in　the　world；　excepting　that　of　the　Jews；　where　God　himself　　immediately　interposed；　and　which　favours　not　at　all　paternal　　dominion；　are　all　either　plain　instances　of　such　a　beginning　as　I　　have　mentioned；　or　at　least　have　manifest　footsteps　of　it。　　


　　　　　Sec。　102。　　He　must　shew　a　strange　inclination　to　deny　　evident　matter　of　fact；　when　it　agrees　not　with　his　hypothesis；　　who　will　not　allow；　that　shew　a　strange　inclination　to　deny　　evident　matter　of　fact；　when　it　agrees　not　with　his　hypothesis；　　who　will　not　allow；　that　the　beginning　of　Rome　and　Venice　were　by　　the　uniting　together　of　several　men　free　and　independent　one　of　　another；　amongst　whom　there　was　no　natural　superiority　or　　subjection。　　And　if　Josephus　Acosta's　word　may　be　taken；　he　tells　　us；　that　in　many　parts　of　America　there　was　no　government　at　all。　　　There　are　great　and　apparent　conjectures；　says　he；　that　these　　men；　speaking　of　those　of　Peru；　for　a　long　time　had　neither　kings　　nor　commonwealths；　but　lived　in　troops；　as　they　do　this　day　in　　Florida；　the　Cheriquanas；　those　of　Brazil；　and　many　other　　nations；　which　have　no　certain　kings；　but　as　occasion　is　offered；　　in　peace　or　war；　they　choose　their　captains　as　they　please；　1。　　　i。　　c。　　25。　　If　it　be　said；　that　every　man　there　was　born　subject　　to　his　father；　or　the　head　of　his　family；　that　the　subjection