concerning civil government-第14章

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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。

　　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　Englishwoman　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　whoever　was　judged　as　a　traitor　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　nor　government。

He　is　under　his　father's　tuition　and　authority　till　he　come　to　age

of　discretion；　and　then　he　is　a　free　man；　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　being　a

subject　of　that　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　anywhere　else？　Since　the　power　that　a

father　hath　naturally　over　his　children　is　the　same　wherever　they　be

born；　and　the　ties　of　natural　obligations　are　not　bounded　by　the

positive　limits　of　kingdoms　and　commonwealths。

　　119。　Every　man　being；　as　has　been　showed；　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。　Nobody　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　possession　or　enjoyment　of

any　part　of　the　dominions　of　any　government　doth　hereby　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。

　　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；　annexes　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；　and　the　property　of　the　land；　is　a　subject。　By　the　same

act；　therefore；　whereby　any　one　unites　his　person；　which　was　before

free；　to　any　commonwealth；　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　commonwealth　as　long　as　it　hath　a　being。　Whoever　therefore；

from　thenceforth；　by　inheritance；　purchases　permission；　or　otherwise

enjoys　any　part　of　the　land　so　annexed　to；　and　under　the　government　of

that　commonweal；　must　take　it　with　the　condition　it　is　under…　that　is；

of　submitting　to　the　government　of　the　commonwealth；　under　whose

jurisdiction　it　is；　as　far　forth　as　any　subject　of　it。

　　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　commonwealth；　or　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　commonweal；　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。

　　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；　it　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　law　extends。　But　this　no　more　makes　a　man　a　member　of

that　society；　a　perpetual　subject　of　that　commonwealth；　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

denizen；　yet　do　not　thereby　come　to　be　subjects　or　members　of　that

commonwealth。　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

commonwealth。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　IX

　　　　　　　　　　　Of　the　Ends　of　Political　Society　and　Government



　　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　nobody；　why　will　he　part　with　his　freedom；

this　empire；　and　subject　himself　to　the　dominion　and　control　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　insecure。　This

makes　him　willing　to　quit　this　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。

　　124。　The　great　and　chief　end；　therefore；　of　men　uniting　into

commonwealths；　and　putting　themselves　under　government；　is　the

preservation　of　their　property；　to　which　in　the　state　of　Nature

there　are　many　things　wanting。

　　Firstly；　there　wants　an　established；　settled；　known　law；　received

and　allowed　by　common　consent　to　be　the　standard　of　right　and　wrong；

and　the　common　measure　to　decide　all　controversies　between　them。　For

though　the　law　of　Nature　be　plain　and　intelligible　to　all　rational

creatures；　yet　men；　being　biased　by　their　interest；　as　well　as

ignorant　for　want　of　study　of　it；　are　not　apt　to　allow　of　it　as　a

law　binding　to　them　in　the　application　of　it　to　their　particular

cases。

　　125。　Secondly；　in　the　state　of　Nature　there　wants　a　known　and

indifferent　judge；　with　authority　to　determine　all　differences

according　to　the　established　law。　For　every　one　in　that　state　being

both　judge　and　executioner　of　the　law　of　Nature；　men　being　partial

to　themselves；　passion　and　revenge　is　very　apt　to　carry　them　too

far；　and　with　too　much　heat　in　their　own　cases；　as　well　as

negligence　and　unconcernedness；　make　them　too　remiss　in　other　men's。

　　126。　Thirdly；　in　the　state　of　Nature　there　often　wants　power　to　back

and　support　the　sentence　when　right；　and　to　give　it　due　execution。

They　who　by　any　injustice　offended　will　seldom　fail　where　they　are

able　by　force　to　make　good　their　injustice。　Such　resistance　many　times

makes　the　punishment　dangerous；　and　frequently　destructive　to　those

who　attempt　it。

　　127。　Thus　mankind；　notwithstanding　all　the　privileges　of　the　state

of　Nature；　being　but　in　an　ill　condition　while　they　remain　in　it　are

quickly　driven　into　society。　Hence　it　comes　to　pass；　that　we　seldom

find　any　number　of　men　live　any　time　together　in　this　state。　The

inconveniencies　that　they　are　therein　exposed　to　by　the　irregular

and　uncertain　exercise　of　the　power　every　man　has　of　punishing　the

transgressions　of　others；　make　them　take　sanctuary　under　the

established　laws　of　government；　and　therein　seek　the　preservation　of

their　property。　It　is　this　that　makes　them　so　willingly　give　up

every　one　his　single　power　of　punishing　to　be　exercised　by　such

alone　as　shall　be　appointed　to　it　amongst　them；　and　by　such　rules　as

the　community；　or　those　authorised　by　them　to　that　purpose；　shall

agree　on。　And　in　this　we　have　the　original　right　and　rise　of　both

the　legislative　and　executive　power　as　well　as　of　the　governments

and　societies　themselves。

　　128。　For　in　the　state　of　Nature　to　omit　the　liberty　he　has　of

innocent　delights；　a　man　has　two　powers。　The　first　is　to　do　whatsoever

he　thinks　fit　for　the　preservation　of　himself　and　others　within　the

permission　of　the　law　of　Nature；　by　which　law；　common　to　them　all；

he　and　all　the　rest　of　mankind　are　one　community；　make　up　one

society　distinct　from　all　other　creatures；　and　were　it　not　for　the

corruption　and　viciousness　of　degenerate　men；　there　would　be　no　need

of　any　other；　no　necessity　that　men　should　separate　from　this　great

and　natural　community；　and　associate　into　lesser　combinations。　The

other　power　a　man　has　in　the　state　of　Nature　is　the　power　to　punish

the　crimes　committed　against　that　law。　Both　these　he　gives　up　when

he　joins　in　a　private；