concerning civil government-第2章

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and　some　person　or　other；　some　other　man；　receives　damage　by　his

transgression；　in　which　case；　he　who　hath　received　any　damage　has

（besides　the　right　of　punishment　common　to　him；　with　other　men）　a

particular　right　to　seek　reparation　from　him　that　hath　done　it。　And

any　other　person　who　finds　it　just　may　also　join　with　him　that　is

injured；　and　assist　him　in　recovering　from　the　offender　so　much　as　may

make　satisfaction　for　the　harm　he　hath　suffered。

　　11。　From　these　two　distinct　rights　（the　one　of　punishing　the

crime；　for　restraint　and　preventing　the　like　offence；　which　right　of

punishing　is　in　everybody；　the　other　of　taking　reparation；　which

belongs　only　to　the　injured　party）　comes　it　to　pass　that　the

magistrate；　who　by　being　magistrate　hath　the　common　right　of　punishing

put　into　his　hands；　can　often；　where　the　public　good　demands　not　the

execution　of　the　law；　remit　the　punishment　of　criminal　offences　by　his

own　authority；　but　yet　cannot　remit　the　satisfaction　due　to　any

private　man　for　the　damage　he　has　received。　That　he　who　hath

suffered　the　damage　has　a　right　to　demand　in　his　own　name；　and　he

alone　can　remit。　The　damnified　person　has　this　power　of

appropriating　to　himself　the　goods　or　service　of　the　offender　by　right

of　self…preservation；　as　every　man　has　a　power　to　punish　the　crime

to　prevent　its　being　committed　again；　by　the　right　he　has　of

preserving　all　mankind；　and　doing　all　reasonable　things　he　can　in

order　to　that　end。　And　thus　it　is　that　every　man　in　the　state　of

Nature　has　a　power　to　kill　a　murderer；　both　to　deter　others　from　doing

the　like　injury　（which　no　reparation　can　compensate）　by　the　example　of

the　punishment　that　attends　it　from　everybody；　and　also　to　secure

men　from　the　attempts　of　a　criminal　who；　having　renounced　reason；

the　common　rule　and　measure　God　hath　given　to　mankind；　hath；　by　the

unjust　violence　and　slaughter　he　hath　committed　upon　one；　declared　war

against　all　mankind；　and　therefore　may　be　destroyed　as　a　lion　or　a

tiger；　one　of　those　wild　savage　beasts　with　whom　men　can　have　no

society　nor　security。　And　upon　this　is　grounded　that　great　law　of

nature；　〃Whoso　sheddeth　man's　blood；　by　man　shall　his　blood　be

shed。〃　And　Cain　was　so　fully　convinced　that　every　one　had　a　right　to

destroy　such　a　criminal；　that；　after　the　murder　of　his　brother；　he

cries　out；　〃Every　one　that　findeth　me　shall　slay　me；〃　so　plain　was

it　writ　in　the　hearts　of　all　mankind。

　　12。　By　the　same　reason　may　a　man　in　the　state　of　Nature　punish　the

lesser　breaches　of　that　law；　it　will；　perhaps；　be　demanded；　with

death？　I　answer：　Each　transgression　may　be　punished　to　that　degree；

and　with　so　much　severity；　as　will　suffice　to　make　it　an　ill　bargain

to　the　offender；　give　him　cause　to　repent；　and　terrify　others　from

doing　the　like。　Every　offence　that　can　be　committed　in　the　state　of

Nature　may；　in　the　state　of　Nature；　be　also　punished　equally；　and　as

far　forth；　as　it　may；　in　a　commonwealth。　For　though　it　would　be　beside

my　present　purpose　to　enter　here　into　the　particulars　of　the　law　of

Nature；　or　its　measures　of　punishment；　yet　it　is　certain　there　is　such

a　law；　and　that　too　as　intelligible　and　plain　to　a　rational　creature

and　a　studier　of　that　law　as　the　positive　laws　of　commonwealths；

nay；　possibly　plainer；　as　much　as　reason　is　easier　to　be　understood

than　the　fancies　and　intricate　contrivances　of　men；　following　contrary

and　hidden　interests　put　into　words；　for　truly　so　are　a　great　part

of　the　municipal　laws　of　countries；　which　are　only　so　far　right　as

they　are　founded　on　the　law　of　Nature；　by　which　they　are　to　be

regulated　and　interpreted。

　　13。　To　this　strange　doctrine…　viz。；　That　in　the　state　of　Nature

every　one　has　the　executive　power　of　the　law　of　Nature…　I　doubt　not

but　it　will　be　objected　that　it　is　unreasonable　for　men　to　be　judges

in　their　own　cases；　that　self…love　will　make　men　partial　to　themselves

and　their　friends；　and；　on　the　other　side；　ill…nature；　passion；　and

revenge　will　carry　them　too　far　in　punishing　others；　and　hence　nothing

but　confusion　and　disorder　will　follow；　and　that　therefore　God　hath

certainly　appointed　government　to　restrain　the　partiality　and　violence

of　men。　I　easily　grant　that　civil　government　is　the　proper　remedy

for　the　inconveniences　of　the　state　of　Nature；　which　must　certainly　be

great　where　men　may　be　judges　in　their　own　case；　since　it　is　easy　to

be　imagined　that　he　who　was　so　unjust　as　to　do　his　brother　an　injury

will　scarce　be　so　just　as　to　condemn　himself　for　it。　But　I　shall

desire　those　who　make　this　objection　to　remember　that　absolute

monarchs　are　but　men；　and　if　government　is　to　be　the　remedy　of　those

evils　which　necessarily　follow　from　men　being　judges　in　their　own

cases；　and　the　state　of　Nature　is　therefore　not　to　be　endured；　I

desire　to　know　what　kind　of　government　that　is；　and　how　much　better　it

is　than　the　state　of　Nature；　where　one　man　commanding　a　multitude

has　the　liberty　to　be　judge　in　his　own　case；　and　may　do　to　all　his

subjects　whatever　he　pleases　without　the　least　question　or　control

of　those　who　execute　his　pleasure？　and　in　whatsoever　he　doth；

whether　led　by　reason；　mistake；　or　passion；　must　be　submitted　to？

which　men　in　the　state　of　Nature　are　not　bound　to　do　one　to　another。

And　if　he　that　judges；　judges　amiss　in　his　own　or　any　other　case；　he

is　answerable　for　it　to　the　rest　of　mankind。

　　14。　It　is　often　asked　as　a　mighty　objection；　where　are；　or　ever

were；　there　any　men　in　such　a　state　of　Nature？　To　which　it　may　suffice

as　an　answer　at　present；　that　since　all　princes　and　rulers　of

〃independent〃　governments　all　through　the　world　are　in　a　state　of

Nature；　it　is　plain　the　world　never　was；　nor　never　will　be；　without

numbers　of　men　in　that　state。　I　have　named　all　governors　of

〃independent〃　communities；　whether　they　are；　or　are　not；　in　league

with　others；　for　it　is　not　every　compact　that　puts　an　end　to　the　state

of　Nature　between　men；　but　only　this　one　of　agreeing　together　mutually

to　enter　into　one　community；　and　make　one　body　politic；　other　promises

and　compacts　men　may　make　one　with　another；　and　yet　still　be　in　the

state　of　Nature。　The　promises　and　bargains　for　truck；　etc。；　between

the　two　men　in　Soldania；　in　or　between　a　Swiss　and　an　Indian；　in　the

woods　of　America；　are　binding　to　them；　though　they　are　perfectly　in

a　state　of　Nature　in　reference　to　one　another　for　truth；　and　keeping

of　faith　belongs　to　men　as　men；　and　not　as　members　of　society。

　　15。　To　those　that　say　there　were　never　any　men　in　the　state　of

Nature；　I　will　not　oppose　the　authority　of　the　judicious　Hooker　（Eccl。

Pol。　i。　10）；　where　he　says；　〃the　laws　which　have　been　hitherto

mentioned〃…　i。e。；　the　laws　of　Nature…　〃do　bind　men　absolutely；　even　as

they　are　men；　although　they　have　never　any　settled　fellowship；　never

any　solemn　agreement　amongst　themselves　what　to　do　or　not　to　do；　but

for　as　much　as　we　are　not　by　ourselves　sufficient　to　furnish　ourselves

with　competent　store　of　things　needful　for　such　a　life　as　our　Nature

doth　desire；　a　life　fit　for　the　dignity　of　man；　therefore　to　supply

those　defects　and　imperfections　which　are　in　us；　as　living　single

and　solely　by　ourselves；　we　are　naturally　induced　to　seek　communion

and　fellowship　with　others；　this　was　the　cause　of　men　uniting

themselves　as　first　in　politic　societies。〃　But　I；　moreover；　affirm

that　all　men　are　naturally　in　that　state；　and　remain　so　till；　by　their

own　consents；　they　make　themselves　members　of　some　politic　society；

and　I　doubt　not；　in　the　sequel　of　this　discourse；　to　make　it　very

clear。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　III

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Of　the　State　of　War



　　16。　The　state　of　war　is　a　state　of　enmity　and　destruction；　and

therefore　declaring　by　word　or　action；　not　a　passionate　and　hasty；　but

sedate；　settled　design　upon　another　man's　life　puts　him　in　a　state

of　war　with　him　against　whom　he　has　declared　such　an　intention；　and　so

has　exposed　his　life　to　the　other's　power　to　be　taken　away　by　him；

or　any　one　that　joins　with　him　in　his　defence；　and　espouses　his

quarrel；　it　being　reasonable　and　just　I　should　have　a　right　to　destroy

that　which　threatens　me　with　destruction；　for　by　the　fundamental　law

of　Nature；　man　being　to　be　preserved　as　much　as　possible；　when　all

cannot　be　preserved；　the　safety　of　the　innocent　is　to　be　preferred；

and　one　may　destroy　a　man　who　makes　war　upon　him；　or　has　discovered　an

enmity　to　his　being；　for　the　same　reason　that　he　may　kill　a　wolf　or

a　lion；　because　they　are　not　under　the　ties　of　the　common　law　of

reason；　have　no　other　rule　but　that　of　force　and　violence；　and　so

may　be　treated　as　a　beast　of　prey；　those　dangerous　and　noxious

creatures　that　will　be　sure　to　destroy　him　whenever　he　falls　into

their　power。

　　17。　And　hence　it　is　that　he　who　attempts　to　get　another　man　into　his

absolute　power　does　thereby　put　himself　into　a　state　of　war　with

him；　it　being　to　be　understood　as　a　declaration　of　a　design　upon　his

life。　For　I　have　reason　to　conclude　that　he　who　would　get　me　into

his　power　without　my　consent　would　use　me　as　he　pleased　when　he　had

got　me　there；　and　destroy　me　too　when　he　had　a　fancy　to　it；　for　nobody

can　desire　to　have　me　in　his　absolute　power　unless　it　be　to　compel

me　by　force　to　that　which　is　against　the　right　of　my　freedom…　i。e。

make　me　a　slave。　To　be　free　from　such　force　is　the　only　security　of　my

preservation；　and　reason　bids　me　look　on　him　as　an　enemy　to　my

preservation　who　would　take　away　that　freedom　which　is　the　fence　to

it；　so　that　he　who　makes　an　attempt　to　enslave　me　thereby　puts　himself

into　a　state　of　war　with　me。　He　that　in　the　state　of　Nature　would　take

away　the　freedom　that　belongs　to　any　one　in　that　state　must

necessarily　be　supposed　to　have　a　design　to　take　away　everything　else；

that　freedom　being　the　foundation　of　all　the　rest；　as　he　that　in　the

state　of　society　would　take　away　the　freedom　belonging　to　those　of

that　society　or　commonwealth　must　be　supposed　to　design　to　take　away

from　them　everything　else；　and　so　be　looked　on　as　in　a　state　of　war。

　　18。　This　makes　it　lawful　for　a　man　to　kill　a　thief　who　has　not　in

the　least　hurt　him；　nor　declared　any　design　upon　his　life；　any　farther

than　by　the　use　of　force；　so　to　get　him　in　his　power　as　to　take　away

his　money；　or　what　he　pleases；　from　him；　because　using　force；　where　he

has　no　right　to　get　me　into　his　power；　let　his　pretence　be　what　it

will；　I　have　no　reason　to　suppose　that　he　who　would　take　away　my

liberty　would　not；　when　he　had　me　in　his　power；　take　away　everything

else。　And；　therefore；　it　is　lawful　for　me　to　treat　him　as　one　who

has　put　himself　into　a　state　of　war　with　me…　i。e。；　kill　him　if　I

can；　for　to　that　hazard　does　he　justly　expose　himself　whoever

introduces　a　state　of　war；　and　is　aggressor　in　it。

　　19。　And　here　we　have　the　plain　difference　between　the　state　of

Nature　and　the　state　of　war；　which　however　some　men　have　confounded；

are　as　far　distant　as　a　state　of　peace；　goodwill；　mutual　assistance；

and　preservation；　and　a　state　of　enmity；　malice；　violence　and　mutual

destruction　are　one　from　another。　Men　living　together　accord