John Locke
“Two Treatises on Government: Second
Treatise”, 1689 (excerpt) |
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THE “NO HARM” PRINCIPLE |
The state of nature has a law of nature
to govern it, which obliges every one: And reason, which is
that law, teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that
being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another
in his life, health, liberty, or possessions. |
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PRESERVATION OF MANKIND |
And
that all men may be restrained from invading others rights,
and from doing hurt to one another, and the law of nature be
observed, which willeth the peace and preservation of all
mankind, the execution of the law of nature is
in that state, put into every man’s hands, whereby every
one has a right to punish the transgressors of that law to
such a degree as may hinder its violation. For the law
of nature would, as all other laws that concern men in
this world, be in vain, if there were nobody that in the state
of nature had a power to execute that law, and thereby
preserve the innocent and restrain offenders, …
AUTHORITY
And thus, in the state of nature, one
man comes by a power over another;…
PUNISH LAW BREAKERS
In transgressing the law of nature, the offender declares himself to live by
another rule, than that of reason and common equity, which is that measure
God has set to the actions of men for their mutual security; and so he becomes
dangerous to mankind, ...
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SOCIAL CONTRACT |
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