SEARCH
0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Prev | Current Page 109 | Next

Locke, John

"Concerning Civil Government, Second Essay"


120. To understand this the better, it is fit to consider that every
man when he at first incorporates himself into any commonwealth, he,
by his uniting himself thereunto, annexes also, and submits to the
community those possessions which he has, or shall acquire, that do
not already belong to any other government. For it would be a direct
contradiction for any one to enter into society with others for the
securing and regulating of property, and yet to suppose his land,
whose property is to be regulated by the laws of the society, should
be exempt from the jurisdiction of that government to which he
himself, and the property of the land, is a subject. By the same
act, therefore, whereby any one unites his person, which was before
free, to any commonwealth, by the same he unites his possessions,
which were before free, to it also; and they become, both of them,
person and possession, subject to the government and dominion of
that commonwealth as long as it hath a being. Whoever therefore,
from thenceforth, by inheritance, purchases permission, or otherwise
enjoys any part of the land so annexed to, and under the government of
that commonweal, must take it with the condition it is under- that is,
of submitting to the government of the commonwealth, under whose
jurisdiction it is, as far forth as any subject of it.


Pages:
97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121