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disposition of another; for no one can willingly transfer his natural right



of free reason and judgment; or be compelled so to do。 (3) For this



reason government which attempts to control minds is accounted tyrannical;



and it is considered an abuse of sovereignty and a usurpation of the rights



of subjects; to seek to prescribe what shall be accepted as true; or



rejected as false; or what opinions should actuate men in their worship of



God。 (4) All these questions fall within a man's natural right; which he



cannot abdicate even with his own consent。







(20:5) I admit that the judgment can be biassed in many ways; and to an



almost incredible degree; so that while exempt from direct external control



it may be so dependent on another man's words; that it may fitly be said to



be ruled by him; but although this influence is carried to great lengths; it



has never gone so far as to invalidate the statement; that every man's



understanding is his own; and that brains are as diverse as palates。







(20:6) Moses; not by fraud; but by Divine virtue; gained such a hold over



the popular judgment that he was accounted superhuman; and believed to speak



and act through the inspiration of the Deity; nevertheless; even he could



not escape murmurs and evil interpretations。 (7) How much less then can



other monarchs avoid them! (8) Yet such unlimited power; if it exists at



all; must belong to a monarch; and least of all to a democracy; where the



whole or a great part of the people wield authority collectively。 (9) This



is a fact which I think everyone can explain for himself。







(20:10) However unlimited; therefore; the power of a sovereign may be;



however implicitly it is trusted as the exponent of law and religion; it can



never prevent men from forming judgments according to their intellect; or



being influenced by any given emotion。 (11) It is true that it has the right



to treat as enemies all men whose opinions do not; on all subjects; entirely



coincide with its own; but we are not discussing its strict rights; but its



proper course of action。 (12) I grant that it has the right to rule in the



most violent manner; and to put citizens to death for very trivial causes;



but no one supposes it can do this with the approval of sound judgment。 (13)



Nay; inasmuch as such things cannot be done without extreme peril to itself;



we may even deny that it has the absolute power to do them; or;



consequently; the absolute right; for the rights of the sovereign are



limited by his power。







'20:2' (14) Since; therefore; no one can abdicate his freedom of judgment



and feeling; since every man is by indefeasible natural right the master of



his own thoughts; it follows that men thinking in diverse and contradictory



fashions; cannot; without disastrous results; be compelled to speak only



according to the dictates of the supreme power。 (15) Not even the most



experienced; to say nothing of the multitude; know how to keep silence。 (16)



Men's common failing is to confide their plans to others; though there be



need for secrecy; so that a government would be most harsh which deprived



the individual of his freedom of saying and teaching what he thought; and



would be moderate if such freedom were granted。 (17) Still we cannot deny



that authority may be as much injured by words as by actions; hence;



although the freedom we are discussing cannot be entirely denied to



subjects; its unlimited concession would be most baneful; we must;



therefore; now inquire; how far such freedom can and ought to be conceded



without danger to the peace of the state; or the power of the rulers; and



this; as I said at the beginning of Chapter XVI。; is my principal object。



(18) It follows; plainly; from the explanation given above; of the



foundations of a state; that the ultimate aim of government is not to



rule; or restrain; by fear; nor to exact obedience; but contrariwise; to



free every man from fear; that he may live in all possible security; in



other words; to strengthen his natural right to exist and work … without



injury to himself or others。







(20:19) No; the object of government is not to change men from rational



beings into beasts or puppets; but to enable them to develope their minds



and bodies in security; and to employ their reason unshackled; neither



showing hatred; anger; or deceit; nor watched with the eyes of jealousy and



injustice。 (20) In fact; the true aim of government is liberty。







(20:21) Now we have seen that in forming a state the power of making laws



must either be vested in the body of the citizens; or in a portion of them;



or in one man。 (22) For; although mens free judgments are very diverse; each



one thinking that he alone knows everything; and although complete unanimity



of feeling and speech is out of the question; it is impossible to preserve



peace; unless individuals abdicate their right of acting entirely on their



own judgment。 '20:3' (23) Therefore; the individual justly cedes the right



of free action; though not of free reason and judgment; no one can act



against the authorities without danger to the state; though his feelings and



judgment may be at variance therewith; he may even speak against them;



provided that he does so from rational conviction; not from fraud; anger; or



hatred; and provided that he does not attempt to introduce any change on his



private authority。







(20:24) For instance; supposing a man shows that a law is repugnant to sound



reason; and should therefore be repealed; if he submits his opinion to the



judgment of the authorities (who; alone; have the right of making and



repealing laws); and meanwhile acts in nowise contrary to that law; he has



deserved well of the state; and has behaved as a good citizen should; but if



he accuses the authorities of injustice; and stirs up the people against



them; or if he seditiously strives to abrogate the law without their



consent; he is a mere agitator and rebel。







(20:25) Thus we see how an individual may declare and teach what he



believes; without injury to the authority of his rulers; or to the public



peace; namely; by leaving in their hands the entire power of legislation as



it affects action; and by doing nothing against their laws; though he



be compelled often to act in contradiction to what he believes; and



openly feels; to be best。







(20:26) Such a course can be taken without detriment to justice and



dutifulness; nay; it is the one which a just and dutiful man would adopt。



(27) We have shown that justice is dependent on the laws of the authorities;



so that no one who contravenes their accepted decrees can be just; while the



highest regard for duty; as we have pointed out in the preceding chapter; is



exercised in maintaining public peace and tranquillity; these could not be



preserved if every man were to live as he pleased; therefore it is no less



than undutiful for a man to act contrary to his country's laws; for if the



practice became universal the ruin of states would necessarily follow。







(20:28) Hence; so long as a man acts in obedience to the laws of his rulers;



he in nowise contravenes his reason; for in obedience to reason he



transferred the right of controlling his actions from his own hands to



theirs。 (29) This doctrine we can confirm from actual custom; for in a



conference of great and small powers; schemes are seldom carried



unanimously; yet all unite in carrying out what is decided on; whether they



voted for or against。 (30) But I return to my proposition。







(20:31) From the fundamental notions of a state; we have discovered how a



man may exercise free judgment without detriment to the supreme power: from



the same premises we can no less easily determine what opinions would be



seditious。 (32) Evidently those which by their very nature nullify the



compact by which the right of free action was ceded。 (33) For instance; a



man who holds that the supreme power has no rights over him; or that



promises ought not to be kept; or that everyone should live as he pleases;



or other doctrines of this nature in direct opposition to the above…



mentioned contract; is seditious; not so much from his actual opinions



and judgment; as from the deeds which they involve; for he who maintains



such theories abrogates the contract which tacitly; or openly; he made with



his rulers。 (34) Other opinions which do not involve acts violating the



contract; such as revenge; anger; and t he like; are not seditious; unless



it be in some。 corrupt state; where superstitious and ambitious persons;



unable to endure men of learning; are so popular with the multitude



that their word is more valued than the law。







(20:35) However; I do not deny that there are some doctrines which; while



they are apparently only concerned with abstract truths and falsehoods; are



yet propounded and published with unworthy motives。 (36) This question we



have discussed in Chapter XV。; and shown that reason should nevertheless



remain unshackled。 (37) If we hold to the principle that a man's loyalty to



the state should be judged; like his loyalty to God; from his actions only …



namely; from his charity towards his neighbours; we cannot doubt that the



best government will allow freedom of philosophical speculation no less than



of religious belief。 (38) I confess that from such freedom inconveniences



may sometimes arise; but what question was ever settled so wisely that no



abuses could possibly spring therefrom? (39) He who seeks to regulate



everything by law; is more likely to arouse vices than to reform them。 (40)



It is best to grant what cannot be abolished; even though it be in itself



harmful。 (41) How many evils spring from luxury; envy; avarice; drunkenness;




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