This makes him willing to quit a condition,
which, however free, is full of fears and continual dangers: and
it is not without reason, that he seeks out, and is willing to
join in society with others, who are already united, or have a
mind to unite, for the mutual preservation of their lives,
liberties and estates, which I call by the general name,
property.
Sec. 124. The great and chief end, therefore, of men's
uniting into commonwealths, and putting themselves under
government, is the preservation of their property. To which in
the state of nature there are many things wanting.
First, There wants an established, settled, known law,
received and allowed by common consent to be the standard of
right and wrong, and the common measure to decide all
controversies between them: for though the law of nature be plain
and intelligible to all rational creatures; yet men being biassed
by their interest, as well as ignorant for want of study of it,
are not apt to allow of it as a law binding to them in the
application of it to their particular cases.
Sec. 125. Secondly, In the state of nature there wants a
known and indifferent judge, with authority to determine all
differences according to the established law: for every one in
that state being both judge and executioner of the law of nature,
men being partial to themselves, passion and revenge is very apt
to carry them too far, and with too much heat, in their own
cases; as well as negligence, and unconcernedness, to make them
too remiss in other men's.
Pages:
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116