八喜电子书 > 经管其他电子书 > a theologico-political treatise [part iv] >

第3部分

a theologico-political treatise [part iv]-第3部分

小说: a theologico-political treatise [part iv] 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!





state; and not the good of the agent; the latter is a slave and does



himself no good: but in a state or kingdom where the weal of the whole



people; and not that of the ruler; is the supreme law; obedience to the



sovereign power does not make a man a slave; of no use to himself; but a



subject。 (58) Therefore; that state is the freest whose laws are founded on



sound reason; so that every member of it may; if he will; be free 'Endnote



27'; that is; live with full consent under the entire guidance of reason。







(16:59) Children; though they are bound to obey all the commands of their



parents; are yet not slaves: for the commands of parents look generally to



the children's benefit。







(60) We must; therefore; acknowledge a great difference between a slave; a



son; and a subject; their positions may be thus defined。 (61) A slave is one



who is bound to obey his master's orders; though they are given solely in



the master's interest: a son is one who obeys his father's orders; given



in his own interest; a subject obeys the orders of the sovereign power;



given for the common interest; wherein he is included。







(16:62) I think I have now shown sufficiently clearly the basis of a



democracy: I have especially desired to do so; for I believe it to be of all



forms of government the most natural; and the most consonant with individual



liberty。 (63) In it no one transfers his natural right so absolutely that he



has no further voice in affairs; he only hands it over to the majority of a



society; whereof he is a unit。 Thus all men remain as they were in the state



of nature; equals。







(16:64) This is the only form of government which I have treated of at



length; for it is the one most akin to my purpose of showing the benefits of



freedom in a state。







(65) I may pass over the fundamental principles of other forms of



government; for we may gather from what has been said whence their right



arises without going into its origin。 (66) The possessor of sovereign power;



whether he be one; or many; or the whole body politic; has the sovereign



right of imposing any commands he pleases: and he who has either



voluntarily; or under compulsion; transferred the right to defend him to



another; has; in so doing; renounced his natural right and is therefore



bound to obey; in all things; the commands of the sovereign power; and will



be bound so to do so long as the king; or nobles; or the people preserve the



sovereign power which formed the basis of the original transfer。 (67) I need



add no more。







'16:5' (68) The bases and rights of dominion being thus displayed; we shall



readily be able to define private civil right; wrong; justice; and



injustice; with their relations to the state; and also to determine what



constitutes an ally; or an enemy; or the crime of treason。







(16:69) By private civil right we can only mean the liberty every man



possesses to preserve his existence; a liberty limited by the edicts of the



sovereign power; and preserved only by its authority: for when a man has



transferred to another his right of living as he likes; which was only



limited by his power; that is; has transferred his liberty and power of



self…defence; he is bound to live as that other dictates; and to trust to



him entirely for his defence。 (70) Wrong takes place when a citizen; or



subject; is forced by another to undergo some loss or pain in contradiction



to the authority of the law; or the edict of the sovereign power。







(16:71) Wrong is conceivable only in an organized community: nor can it ever



accrue to subjects from any act of the sovereign; who has the right to do



what he likes。 (72) It can only arise; therefore; between private persons;



who are bound by law and right not to injure one another。 (73) Justice



consists in the habitual rendering to every man his lawful due: injustice



consists in depriving a man; under the pretence of legality; of what the



laws; rightly interpreted; would allow him。 (74) These last are also called



equity and iniquity; because those who administer the laws are bound to show



no respect of persons; but to account all men equal; and to defend every



man's right equally; neither envying the rich nor despising the poor。







'16:6'(75) The men of two states become allies; when for the sake of



avoiding war; or for some other advantage; they covenant to do each other no



hurt; but on the contrary; to assist each other if necessity arises; each



retaining his independence。 (76) Such a covenant is valid so long as its



basis of danger or advantage is in force: no one enters into an engagement;



or is bound to stand by his compacts unless there be a hope of some accruing



good; or the fear of some evil: if this basis be removed the compact thereby



becomes void: this has been abundantly shown by experience。 (77) For



although different states make treaties not to harm one another; they always



take every possible precaution against such treaties being broken by the



stronger party; and do not rely on the compact; unless there is a



sufficiently obvious object and advantage to both parties in observing it。



(78) Otherwise they would fear a breach of faith; nor would there be any



wrong done thereby: for who in his proper senses; and aware of the right of



the sovereign power; would trust in the promises of one who has the will and



the power to do what he likes; and who aims solely at the safety and



advantage of his dominion? (79) Moreover; if we consult loyalty and



religion; we shall see that no one in possession of power ought to abide by



his promises to the injury of his dominion; for he cannot keep such promises



without breaking the engagement he made with his subjects; by which both he



and they are most solemnly bound。 (80) An enemy is one who lives apart from



the state; and does not recognize its authority either as a subject or as an



ally。 It is not hatred which makes a man an enemy; but the rights of the



state。 (81) The rights of the state are the same in regard to him who



does not recognize by any compact the state authority; as they are against



him who has done the state an injury: it has the right to force him as best



it can; either to submit; or to contract an alliance。







'16:7' (82) Lastly; treason can only be committed by subjects; who by



compact; either tacit or expressed; have transferred all their rights to the



state: a subject is said to have committed this crime when he has attempted;



for whatever reason; to seize the sovereign power; or to place it in



different hands。 (83) I say; has attempted; for if punishment were not to



overtake him till he had succeeded; it would often come too late; the



sovereign rights would have been acquired or transferred already。







(16:84) I also say; has attempted; for whatever reason; to seize the



sovereign power; and I recognize no difference whether such an attempt



should be followed by public loss or public gain。 (85) Whatever be his



reason for acting; the crime is treason; and he is rightly condemned: in



war; everyone would admit the justice of his sentence。 (86) If a man does



not keep to his post; but approaches the enemy without the knowledge of his



commander; whatever may be his motive; so long as he acts on his own motion;



even if he advances with the design of defeating the enemy; he is rightly



put to death; because he has violated his oath; and infringed the rights of



his commander。 (87) That all citizens are equally bound by these rights in



time of peace; is not so generally recognized; but the reasons for obedience



are in both cases identical。 (88) The state must be preserved and directed



by the sole authority of the sovereign; and such authority and right have



been accorded by universal consent to him alone: if; therefore; anyone else



attempts; without his consent; to execute any public enterprise; even though



the state might (as we said) reap benefit therefrom; such person has none



the less infringed the sovereigns right; and would be rightly punished for



treason。







(16:89) In order that every scruple may be removed; we may now answer the



inquiry; whether our former assertion that everyone who has not the



practice of reason; may; in the state of nature; live by sovereign natural



right; according to the laws of his desires; is not in direct opposition to



the law and right of God as revealed。 (90) For as all men absolutely



(whether they be less endowed with reason or more) are equally bound by the



Divine command to love their neighbour as themselves; it may be said that



they cannot; without wrong; do injury to anyone; or live according to their



desires。







(16:91) This objection; so far as the state of nature is concerned; can be



easily answered; for the state of nature is; both in nature and in time;



prior to religion。 (92) No one knows by nature that he owes any obedience to



God 'Endnote 28'; nor can he attain thereto by any exercise of his reason;



but solely by revelation confirmed by signs。 (93) Therefore; previous to



revelation; no one is bound by a Divine law and right of which he is



necessarily in ignorance。 (94) The state of nature must by no means be



confounded with a state of religion; but must be conceived as without



either religion or law; and consequently without sin or wrong: this is how



we have described it; and we are confirmed by the authority of Paul。 (95) It



is not only in respect of ignorance that we conceive the state of nature as



prior to; and lacking the Divine revealed law and right; but in respect of



freedom also; wherewith all men are born endowed。







(16:96) If men were naturally bound by the Divine law and right; or if the



Divine law and right were a natural necessity; there would hav

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的