For
since it can never be supposed to be the will of the society that
the legislative should have a power to destroy that which every one
designs to secure by entering into society, and for which the people
submitted themselves to legislators of their own making: whenever
the legislators endeavour to take away and destroy the property of the
people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put
themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon
absolved from any farther obedience, and are left to the common refuge
which God hath provided for all men against force and violence.
Whensoever, therefore, the legislative shall transgress this
fundamental rule of society, and either by ambition, fear, folly, or
corruption, endeavour to grasp themselves, or put into the hands of
any other, an absolute power over the lives, liberties, and estates of
the people, by this breach of trust they forfeit the power the
people had put into their hands for quite contrary ends, and it
devolves to the people, who have a right to resume their original
liberty, and by the establishment of a new legislative (such as they
shall think fit), provide for their own safety and security, which
is the end for which they are in society.
Pages:
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208