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
disseised, 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 thousand; 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 their 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.
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