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second treatise of government-第35章

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 goods of his wife and  children; they too had a title to the goods he enjoyed; and their  shares in the estate he possessed: for example; I in the state of  nature (and all commonwealths are in the state of nature one with  another) have injured another man; and refusing to give  satisfaction; it comes to a state of war; wherein my defending by  force what I had gotten unjustly; makes me the aggressor。  I am  conquered: my life; it is true; as forfeit; is at mercy; but not  my wife's and children's。  They made not the war; nor assisted in  it。  I could not forfeit their lives; they were not mine to  forfeit。  My wife had a share in my estate; that neither could I  forfeit。  And my children also; being born of me; had a right to  be maintained out of my labour or substance。  Here then is the  case: the conqueror has a title to reparation for damages  received; and the children have a title to their father's estate  for their subsistence: for as to the wife's share; whether her  own labour; or compact; gave her a title to it; it is plain; her  husband could not forfeit what was her's。  What must be done in  the case?  I answer; the fundamental law of nature being; that  all; as much as may be; should be preserved; it follows; that if  there be not enough fully to satisfy both; viz; for the  conqueror's losses; and children's maintenance; he that hath; and  to spare; must remit something of his full satisfaction; and give  way to the pressing and preferable title of those who are in  danger to perish without it。      Sec。 184。  But supposing the charge and damages of the war  are to be made up to the conqueror; to the utmost farthing; and  that the children of the vanquished; spoiled of all their  father's goods; are to be left to starve and perish; yet the  satisfying of what shall; on this score; be due to the conqueror;  will scarce give him a title to any country he shall conquer: for  the damages of war can scarce amount to the value of any  considerable tract of land; in any part of the world; where all  the land is possessed; and none lies waste。  And if I have not  taken away the conqueror's land; which; being vanquished; it is  impossible I should; scarce any other spoil I have done him can  amount to the value of mine; supposing it equally cultivated; and  of an extent any way coming near what I had overrun of his。  The  destruction of a year's product or two (for it seldom reaches  four or five) is the utmost spoil that usually can be done: for  as to money; and such riches and treasure taken away; these are  none of nature's goods; they have but a fantastical imaginary  value: nature has put no such upon them: they are of no more  account by her standard; than the wampompeke of the Americans to  an European prince; or the silver money of Europe would have been  formerly to an American。  And five years product is not worth the  perpetual inheritance of land; where all is possessed; and none  remains waste; to be taken up by him that is disseized: which  will be easily granted; if one do but take away the imaginary  value of money; the disproportion being more than between five 

and five hundred; though; at the same time; half a year's product  is more worth than the inheritance; where there being more land  than the inhabitants possess and make use of; any one has liberty  to make use of the waste: but there conquerors take little care  to possess themselves of the lands of the vanquished; No damage  therefore; that men in the state of nature (as all princes and  governments are in reference to one another) suffer from one  another; can give a conqueror power to dispossess the posterity  of the vanquished; and turn them out of that inheritance; which  ought to be the possession of them and their descendants to all  generations。  The conqueror indeed will be apt to think himself  master: and it is the very condition of the subdued not to be  able to dispute their right。  But if that be all; it gives no  other title than what bare force gives to the stronger over the  weaker: and; by this reason; he that is strongest will have a  right to whatever he pleases to seize on。      Sec。 185。  Over those then that joined with him in the war;  and over those of the subdued country that opposed him not; and  the posterity even of those that did; the conqueror; even in a  just war; hath; by his conquest; no right of dominion: they are  free from any subjection to him; and if their former government  be dissolved; they are at liberty to begin and erect another to  themselves。      Sec。 186。  The conqueror; it is true; usually; by the force  he has over them; compels them; with a sword at their breasts; to  stoop to his conditions; and submit to such a government as he  pleases to afford them; but the enquiry is; what right he has to  do so?  If it be said; they submit by their own consent; then  this allows their own consent to be necessary to give the  conqueror a title to rule over them。  It remains only to be  considered; whether promises extorted by force; without right;  can be thought consent; and how far they bind。  To which I shall  say; they bind not at all; because whatsoever another gets from  me by force; I still retain the right of; and he is obliged  presently to restore。  He that forces my horse from me; ought  presently to restore him; and I have still a right to retake him。    By the same reason; he that forced a promise from me; ought  presently to restore it; i。e。  quit me of the obligation of it;  or I may resume it myself; i。e。  chuse whether I will perform it:  for the law of nature laying an obligation on me only by the  rules she prescribes; cannot oblige me by the violation of her  rules: such is the extorting any thing from me by force。  Nor  does it at all alter the case to say; I gave my promise; no more  than it excuses the force; and passes the right; when I put my  hand in my pocket; and deliver my purse myself to a thief; who  demands it with a pistol at my breast。         Sec。 187。  From all which it follows; that the government of  a conqueror; imposed by force on the subdued; against whom he had  no right of war; or who joined not in the war against him; where  he had right; has no obligation upon them。      Sec。 188。  But let us suppose; that all the men of that  community; being all members of the same body politic; may be  taken to have joined in that unjust war wherein they are subdued;  and so their lives are at the mercy of the conqueror。      Sec。 189。  1 say; this concerns not their children who are  in their minority: for since a father hath not; in himself; a  power over the life or liberty of his child; no act of his can  possibly forfeit it。  So that the children; whatever may have  happened to the fathers; are freemen; and the absolute power of  the conqueror reaches no farther than the persons of the men that  were subdued by him; and dies with them: and should he govern  them as slaves; subjected to his absolute arbitrary power; he has  no such right of dominion over their children。  He can have no  power over them but by their own consent; whatever he may drive  them to say or do; and he has no lawfull authority; whilst force;  and not choice; compels them to submission。

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