第 13 节
作者:打倒一切      更新:2021-02-21 15:39      字数:9322
  probably be much better on a throne; where perhaps learning and
  religion shall be found out to justify all that he shall do to his
  subjects; and the sword presently silence all those that dare question
  it。 For what the protection of absolute monarchy is; what kind of
  fathers of their countries it makes princes to be; and to what a
  degree of happiness and security it carries civil society; where
  this sort of government is grown to perfection; he that will look into
  the late relation of Ceylon may easily see。
  93。 In absolute monarchies; indeed; as well as other governments
  of the world; the subjects have an appeal to the law; and judges to
  decide any controversies; and restrain any violence that may happen
  betwixt the subjects themselves; one amongst another。 This every one
  thinks necessary; and believes; he deserves to be thought a declared
  enemy to society and mankind who should go about to take it away。
  But whether this be from a true love of mankind and society; and
  such a charity as we owe all one to another; there is reason to doubt。
  For this is no more than what every man; who loves his own power;
  profit; or greatness; may; and naturally must do; keep those animals
  from hurting or destroying one another who labour and drudge only
  for his pleasure and advantage; and so are taken care of; not out of
  any love the master has for them; but love of himself; and the
  profit they bring him。 For if it be asked what security; what fence is
  there in such a state against the violence and oppression of this
  absolute ruler; the very question can scarce be borne。 They are
  ready to tell you that it deserves death only to ask after safety。
  Betwixt subject and subject; they will grant; there must be
  measures; laws; and judges for their mutual peace and security。 But as
  for the ruler; he ought to be absolute; and is above all such
  circumstances; because he has a power to do more hurt and wrong; it is
  right when he does it。 To ask how you may be guarded from or injury on
  that side; where the strongest hand is to do it; is presently the
  voice of faction and rebellion。 As if when men; quitting the state
  of Nature; entered into society; they agreed that all of them but
  one should be under the restraint of laws; but that he should still
  retain all the liberty of the state of Nature; increased with power;
  and made licentious by impunity。 This is to think that men are so
  foolish that they take care to avoid what mischiefs may be done them
  by polecats or foxes; but are content; nay; think it safety; to be
  devoured by lions。
  94。 But; whatever flatterers may talk to amuse people's
  understandings; it never hinders men from feeling; and when they
  perceive that any man; in what station soever; is out of the bounds of
  the civil society they are of; and that they have no appeal; on earth;
  against any harm they may receive from him; they are apt to think
  themselves in the state of Nature; in respect of him whom they find to
  be so; and to take care; as soon as they can; to have that safety
  and security; in civil society; for which it was first instituted; and
  for which only they entered into it。 And therefore; though perhaps
  at first; as shall be showed more at large hereafter; in the following
  part of this discourse; some one good and excellent man having got a
  pre…eminency amongst the rest; had this deference paid to his goodness
  and virtue; as to a kind of natural authority; that the chief rule;
  with arbitration of their differences; by a tacit consent devolved
  into his hands; without any other caution but the assurance they had
  of his uprightness and wisdom; yet when time giving authority; and; as
  some men would persuade us; sacredness to customs; which the negligent
  and unforeseeing innocence of the first ages began; had brought in
  successors of another stamp; the people finding their properties not
  secure under the government as then it was* (whereas government has no
  other end but the preservation of property); could never be safe;
  nor at rest; nor think themselves in civil society; till the
  legislative was so placed in collective bodies of men; call them
  senate; parliament; or what you please; by which means every single
  person became subject equally with other the meanest men; to those
  laws; which he himself; as part of the legislative; had established;
  nor could any one; by his own authority; avoid the force of the law;
  when once made; nor by any pretence of superiority plead exemption;
  thereby to license his own; or the miscarriages of any of his
  dependants。 No man in civil society can be exempted from the laws of
  it。 For if any man may do what he thinks fit and there be no appeal on
  earth for redress or security against any harm he shall do; I ask
  whether he be not perfectly still in the state of Nature; and so can
  be no part or member of that civil society; unless any one will say
  the state of Nature and civil society are one and the same thing;
  which I have never yet found any one so great a patron of anarchy as
  to affirm。*(2)
  * 〃At the first; when some certain kind of regimen was once
  appointed; it may be that nothing was then further thought upon for
  the manner of governing; but all permitted unto their wisdom and
  discretion which were to rule till; by experience; they found this for
  all parts very inconvenient; so as the thing which they had devised
  for a remedy did indeed but increase the sore which it should have
  cured。 They saw that to live by one man's will became the cause of all
  men's misery。 This constrained them to come unto laws wherein all
  men might see their duty beforehand; and know the penalties of
  transgressing them。〃 Hooker; Eccl。 Pol。 i。 10。
  *(2) 〃Civil law; being the act of the whole body politic; doth
  therefore overrule each several part of the same body。〃 Hooker; ibid。
  Chapter VIII
  Of the Beginning of Political Societies
  95。 MEN being; as has been said; by nature all free; equal; and
  independent; no one can be put out of this estate and subjected to the
  political power of another without his own consent; which is done by
  agreeing with other men; to join and unite into a community for
  their comfortable; safe; and peaceable living; one amongst another; in
  a secure enjoyment of their properties; and a greater security against
  any that are not of it。 This any number of men may do; because it
  injures not the freedom of the rest; they are left; as they were; in
  the liberty of the state of Nature。 When any number of men have so
  consented to make one community or government; they are thereby
  presently incorporated; and make one body politic; wherein the
  majority have a right to act and conclude the rest。
  96。 For; when any number of men have; by the consent of every
  individual; made a community; they have thereby made that community
  one body; with a power to act as one body; which is only by the will
  and determination of the majority。 For that which acts any
  community; being only the consent of the individuals of it; and it
  being one body; must move one way; it is necessary the body should
  move that way whither the greater force carries it; which is the
  consent of the majority; or else it is impossible it should act or
  continue one body; one community; which the consent of every
  individual that united into it agreed that it should; and so every one
  is bound by that consent to be concluded by the majority。 And
  therefore we see that in assemblies empowered to act by positive
  laws where no number is set by that positive law which empowers
  them; the act of the majority passes for the act of the whole; and
  of course determines as having; by the law of Nature and reason; the
  power of the whole。
  97。 And thus every man; by consenting with others to make one body
  politic under one government; puts himself under an obligation to
  every one of that society to submit to the determination of the
  majority; and to be concluded by it; or else this original compact;
  whereby he with others incorporates into one society; would signify
  nothing; and be no compact if he be left free and under no other
  ties than he was in before in the state of Nature。 For what appearance
  would there be of any compact? What new engagement if he were no
  farther tied by any decrees of the society than he himself thought fit
  and did actually consent to? This would be still as great a liberty as
  he himself had before his compact; or any one else in the state of
  Nature; who may submit himself and consent to any acts of it if he
  thinks fit。
  98。 For if the consent of the majority shall not in reason be
  received as the act of the whole; and conclude every individual;
  nothing but the consent of every individual can make anything to be
  the act of the whole; which; considering the infirmities of health and
  avocations of business; which in a number though much less than that
  of a commonwealth; will necessarily keep many away from the public
  assembly; and the variety of opinions and contrariety of interests
  which unavoidably happen in all collections of men; it