second treatise of government-第5章

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nother　man；　though　he　took　a　good　draught；　who　had　a　　whole　river　of　the　same　water　left　him　to　quench　his　thirst：　and　　the　case　of　land　and　water；　where　there　is　enough　of　both；　is　　perfectly　the　same。　　　　　　Sec。　34。　　God　gave　the　world　to　men　in　common；　but　since　he　　gave　it　them　for　their　benefit；　and　the　greatest　conveniencies　of　　life　they　were　capable　to　draw　from　it；　it　cannot　be　supposed　he　　meant　it　should　always　remain　common　and　uncultivated。　　He　gave　　it　to　the　use　of　the　industrious　and　rational；　（and　labour　was　　to　be　his　title　to　it；）　not　to　the　fancy　or　covetousness　of　the　　quarrelsome　and　contentious。　　He　that　had　as　good　left　for　his　　improvement；　as　was　already　taken　up；　needed　not　complain；　ought　　not　to　meddle　with　what　was　already　improved　by　another's　labour：　　if　he　did；　it　is　plain　he　desired　the　benefit　of　another's　pains；　　which　he　had　no　right　to；　and　not　the　ground　which　God　had　given　　him　in　common　with　others　to　labour　on；　and　whereof　there　was　as　　good　left；　as　that　already　possessed；　and　more　than　he　knew　what　　to　do　with；　or　his　industry　could　reach　to。　　　　　　Sec。　35。　　It　is　true；　in　land　that　is　common　in　　England；　or　any　other　country；　where　there　is　plenty　of　people　　under　government；　who　have　money　and　commerce；　no　one　can　inclose　　or　appropriate　any　part；　without　the　consent　of　all　his　fellow…　commoners；　because　this　is　left　common　by　compact；　i。e。　by　the　　law　of　the　land；　which　is　not　to　be　violated。　　And　though　it　be　　common；　in　respect　of　some　men；　it　is　not　so　to　all　mankind；　but　　is　the　joint　property　of　this　country；　or　this　parish。　　Besides；　　the　remainder；　after　such　enclosure；　would　not　be　as　good　to　the　　rest　of　the　commoners；　as　the　whole　was　when　they　could　all　make　　use　of　the　whole；　whereas　in　the　beginning　and　first　peopling　of　　the　great　common　of　the　world；　it　was　quite　otherwise。　　The　law　　man　was　under；　was　rather　for　appropriating。　　God　commanded；　and　　his　wants　forced　him　to　labour。　　That　was　his　property　which　　could　not　be　taken　from　him　where…ever　he　had　fixed　it。　　And　　hence　subduing　or　cultivating　the　earth；　and　having　dominion；　we　　see　are　joined　together。　　The　one　gave　title　to　the　other。　　So　　that　God；　by　commanding　to　subdue；　gave　authority　so　far　to　　appropriate：　and　the　condition　of　human　life；　which　requires　　labour　and　materials　to　work　on；　necessarily　introduces　private　　possessions。　　　　　　Sec。　36。　　The　measure　of　property　nature　has　well　set　by　　the　extent　of　men's　labour　and　the　conveniencies　of　life：　no　　man's　labour　could　subdue；　or　appropriate　all；　nor　could　his　　enjoyment　consume　more　than　a　small　part；　so　that　it　was　　impossible　for　any　man；　this　way；　to　intrench　upon　the　right　of　　another；　or　acquire　to　himself　a　property；　to　the　prejudice　of　　his　neighbour；　who　would　still　have　room　for　as　good；　and　as　　large　a　possession　（after　the　other　had　taken　out　his）　as　before　　it　was　appropriated。　　This　measure　did　confine　every　man's　　possession　to　a　very　moderate　proportion；　and　such　as　he　might　　appropriate　to　himself；　without　injury　to　any　body；　in　the　first　　ages　of　the　world；　when　men　were　more　in　danger　to　be　lost；　by　　wandering　from　their　company；　in　the　then　vast　wilderness　of　the　　earth；　than　to　be　straitened　for　want　of　room　to　plant　in。　　And　　the　same　measure　may　be　allowed　still　without　prejudice　to　any　　body；　as　full　as　the　world　seems：　for　supposing　a　man；　or　family；　　in　the　state　they　were　at　first　peopling　of　the　world　by　the　　children　of　Adam；　or　Noah；　let　him　plant　in　some　inland；　　vacant　places　of　America；　we　shall　find　that　the　possessions　　he　could　make　himself；　upon　the　measures　we　have　given；　would　　not　be　very　large；　nor；　even　to　this　day；　prejudice　the　rest　of　　mankind；　or　give　them　reason　to　complain；　or　think　themselves　　injured　by　this　man's　incroachment；　though　the　race　of　men　have　　now　spread　themselves　to　all　the　corners　of　the　world；　and　do　

infinitely　exceed　the　small　number　was　at　the　beginning。　　Nay；　　the　extent　of　ground　is　of　so　little　value；　without　labour；　　that　I　have　heard　it　affirmed；　that　in　Spain　itself　a　man　may　　be　permitted　to　plough；　sow　and　reap；　without　being　disturbed；　　upon　land　he　has　no　other　title　to；　but　only　his　making　use　of　　it。　　But；　on　the　contrary；　the　inhabitants　think　themselves　　beholden　to　him；　who；　by　his　industry　on　neglected；　and　　consequently　waste　land；　has　increased　the　stock　of　corn；　which　　they　wanted。　　But　be　this　as　it　will；　which　I　lay　no　stress　on；　　this　I　dare　boldly　affirm；　that　the　same　rule　of　propriety；　　（viz。）　that　every　man　should　have　as　much　as　he　could　make　use　　of；　would　hold　still　in　the　world；　without　straitening　any　body；　　since　there　is　land　enough　in　the　world　to　suffice　double　the　　inhabitants；　had　not　the　invention　of　money；　and　the　tacit　　agreement　of　men　to　put　a　value　on　it；　introduced　（by　consent）　　larger　possessions；　and　a　right　to　them；　which；　how　it　has　done；　　I　shall　by　and　by　shew　more　at　large。　　　　　　Sec。　37。　　This　is　certain；　that　in　the　beginning；　before　the　　desire　of　having　more　than　man　needed　had　altered　the　intrinsic　　value　of　things；　which　depends　only　on　their　usefulness　to　the　　life　of　man；　or　had　agreed；　that　a　little　piece　of　yellow　　metal；　which　would　keep　without　wasting　or　decay；　should　be　　worth　a　great　piece　of　flesh；　or　a　whole　heap　of　corn；　though　men　　had　a　right　to　appropriate；　by　their　labour；　each　one　of　himself；　　as　much　of　the　things　of　nature；　as　he　could　use：　yet　this　could　　not　be　much；　nor　to　the　prejudice　of　others；　where　the　same　　plenty　was　still　left　to　those　who　would　use　the　same　industry。　　　To　which　let　me　add；　that　he　who　appropriates　land　to　himself　by　　his　labour；　does　not　lessen；　but　increase　the　common　stock　of　　mankind：　for　the　provisions　serving　to　the　support　of　human　life；　　produced　by　one　acre　of　inclosed　and　cultivated　land；　are　（to　　speak　much　within　compass）　ten　times　more　than　those　which　are　　yielded　by　an　acre　of　land　of　an　equal　richness　lying　waste　in　　common。　　And　therefore　he　that　incloses　land；　and　has　a　greater　　plenty　of　the　conveniencies　of　life　from　ten　acres；　than　he　could　　have　from　an　hundred　left　to　nature；　may　truly　be　said　to　give　　ninety　acres　to　mankind：　for　his　labour　now　supplies　him　with　　provisions　out　of　ten　acres；　which　were　but　the　product　of　an　　hundred　lying　in　common。　　I　have　here　rated　the　improved　land　　very　low；　in　making　its　product　but　as　ten　to　one；　when　it　is　　much　nearer　an　hundred　to　one：　for　I　ask；　whether　in　the　wild　　woods　and　uncultivated　waste　of　America；　left　to　nature；　　without　any　improvement；　tillage　or　husbandry；　a　thousand　acres　　yield　the　needy　and　wretched　inhabitants　as　many　conveniencies　of　　life；　as　ten　acres　of　equally　fertile　land　do　in　Devonshire；　　where　they　are　well　cultivated？　　　　　　Before　the　appropriation　of　land；　he　who　gathered　as　much　of　　the　wild　fruit；　killed；　caught；　or　tamed；　as　many　of　the　beasts；　　as　he　could；　he　that　so　imployed　his　pains　about　any　of　the　　spontaneous　products　of　nature；　as　any　way　to　alter　them　from　the　　state　which　nature　put　them　in；　by　placing　any　of　his　labour　　on　them；　did　thereby　acquire　a　propriety　in　them：　but　if　they　　perished；　in　his　possession；　without　their　due　use；　if　the　fruits　　rotted；　or　the　venison　putrified；　before　he　could　spend　it；　he　　offended　against　the　common　law　of　nature；　and　was　liable　to　be　　punished；　he　invaded　his　neighbour's　share；　for　he　had　no　right；　　farther　than　his　use　called　for　any　of　them；　and　they　might　　serve　to　afford　him　conveniencies　of　life。　　　　　　Sec。　38。　　The　same　measures　governed　the　possession　of　　land　too：　whatsoever　he　tilled　and　reaped；　laid　up　and　made　use　　of；　before　it　spoiled；　that　was　his　peculiar　right；　whatsoever　he　　enclosed；　and　could　feed；　and　make　use　of；　the　cattle　and　product　　was　also　his。　　But　if　either　the　grass　of　his　enclosure　rotted　on　　the　ground；　or　the　fruit　of　his　planting　perished　without　　gathering；　and　laying　up；　this　part　of　the　earth；　notwithstanding　　his　enclosure；　was　still　to　be　looked　on　as　waste；　and　might　be　

the　possession　of　any　other。　　Thus；　at　the　beginning；　Cain　　might　take　as　much　ground　as　he　could　till；　and　make　it　his　own　　land；　and　yet　leave　enough　to　Abel's　sheep　to　feed　on；　a　few　　acres　would　serve　for　both　their　possessions。　　But　as　families　　increased；　and　industry　inlarged　their　stocks；　their　possessions　　inlarged　with　the　need　of　them；　but　yet　it　was　commonly　without　　any　fixed　property　in　the　ground　they　made　use　of；　till　they　　incorporated；　settled　themselves　together；　and　built　cities；　and　　then；　by　consent；　they　came　in　time；　to　set　out　the　bounds　of　　their　distinct　territories；　and　agree　on　limits　between　them　and　　their　neighbours；　and　by　laws　within　themselves；　settled　the　　properties　of　those　of　the　same　society：　for　we　see；　that　in　　that　part　of　the　world　which　was　first　inhabited；　and　therefore　　like　to　be　best　peopled；　even　as　low　down　as　Abraham's　time；　　they　wandered　with　their　flocks；　and　their　herds；　which　was　their　　substance；　freely　up　and　down；　and　this　Abraham　did；　in　a　　country　where　he　was　a　stranger。　　Whence　it　is　plain；　that　at　　least　a　great　part　of　the　land　lay　in　common；　that　the　　inhabitants　valued　it　not；　nor　claimed　property　in　any　more　than　　they　made　use　of。　　But　when　there　was　not　room　enough　in　the　same　　place；　for　their　herds　to　feed　together；　they　by　consent；　as　　Abraham　and　Lot　did；　Gen。　xiii。　　5。　　separated　and　inlarged　　their　pasture；　where　it　best　liked　them。　　And　for　the　same　reason　　Esau　went　from　his　father；　and　his　brother；　and　planted　in　　mount　Seir；　Gen。　xxxvi。　6。　　　　　　Sec。　39。　　And　thus；　without　supposing　any　private　dominion；　　and　property　in　Adam；　over　all　the　world；　exclusive　of　all　　other　men；　which　can　no　way　be　proved；　nor　any　one's　property　be　　made　out　from　it；　but　supposing　the　world　given；　as　it　was；　to　　the　children　of　men　in　common；　we　see　how　labour　could　make　　men　distinct　titles　to　several　parcels　of　it；　for　their　private　　uses；　wherein　there　could　be　no　doubt　of　right；　no　room　for　　quarrel。　　　　　　Sec。　40。　　Nor　is　it　so　strange；　as　perhaps　before　　consideration　it　may　appear；　that　the　property　of　labour　should　　be　able　to　over…balance　the　community　of　land：　for　it　is　labour　　indeed　that　puts　the　difference　of　value　on　every　thing；　and　　let　any　one　consider　what　the　difference　is　between　an　acre　of　　land　planted　with　tobacco　or　sugar；　sown　with　wheat　or　barley；　　and　an　acre　of　the　same　land　lying　in　common；　without　any　　husbandry　upon　it；　and　he　will　find；　that　the　improvement　of　　labour　makes　the　far　greater　part　of　the　value。　　I　think　it　　will　be　but　a　very　modest　computation　to　say；　that　of　the　　products　of　the　earth　useful　to　the　life　of　man　nine　tenths　are　　the　effects　of　labour：　nay；　if　we　will　rightly　estimate　things　　as　they　come　to　our　use；　and　cast　up　the　several　expences　about　　them；　what　in　them　is　purely　owing　to　nature；　and　what　to　　labour；　we　shall　find；　that　in　most　of　them　ninety…nine　　hundredths　are　wholly　to　be　put　on　the　account　of　labour。　　　　　　　　Sec。　41。　　There　cannot　be　a　clearer　demonstration　of　any　　thing；　than　several　nations　of　the　Americans　are　of　this；　who　　are　rich　in　land；　and　poor　in　all　the　comforts　of　life；　whom　　nature　having　furnished　as　liberally　as　any　other　people；　with　　the　materials　of　plenty；　i。e。　a　fruitful　soil；　apt　to　produce　　in