第22章
加入书架 A- A+

  Lastly,theagreementofthesecreaturesisnatural;thatofmenisbycovenantonly,whichisartificial:andthereforeitisnowonderiftherebesomewhatelserequired,besidescovenant,tomaketheiragreementconstantandlasting;whichisacommonpowertokeeptheminaweandtodirecttheiractionstothecommonbenefit。

  Theonlywaytoerectsuchacommonpower,asmaybeabletodefendthemfromtheinvasionofforeigners,andtheinjuriesofoneanother,andtherebytosecuretheminsuchsortasthatbytheirownindustryandbythefruitsoftheearththeymaynourishthemselvesandlivecontentedly,istoconferalltheirpowerandstrengthupononeman,orupononeassemblyofmen,thatmayreducealltheirwills,bypluralityofvoices,untoonewill:whichisasmuchastosay,toappointoneman,orassemblyofmen,tobeartheirperson;andeveryonetoownandacknowledgehimselftobeauthorofwhatsoeverhethatsobeareththeirpersonshallact,orcausetobeacted,inthosethingswhichconcernthecommonpeaceandsafety;andthereintosubmittheirwills,everyonetohiswill,andtheirjudgementstohisjudgement。Thisismorethanconsent,orconcord;itisarealunityofthemallinoneandthesameperson,madebycovenantofeverymanwitheveryman,insuchmannerasifeverymanshouldsaytoeveryman:Iauthoriseandgiveupmyrightofgoverningmyselftothisman,ortothisassemblyofmen,onthiscondition;thatthougiveup,thyrighttohim,andauthoriseallhisactionsinlikemanner。Thisdone,themultitudesounitedinonepersoniscalledaCOMMONWEALTH;inLatin,CIVITAS。

  ThisisthegenerationofthatgreatLEVIATHAN,orrather,tospeakmorereverently,ofthatmortalgodtowhichweowe,undertheimmortalGod,ourpeaceanddefence。Forbythisauthority,givenhimbyeveryparticularmanintheCommonwealth,hehaththeuseofsomuchpowerandstrengthconferredonhimthat,byterrorthereof,heisenabledtoformthewillsofthemall,topeaceathome,andmutualaidagainsttheirenemiesabroad。AndinhimconsisteththeessenceoftheCommonwealth;which,todefineit,is:oneperson,ofwhoseactsagreatmultitude,bymutualcovenantsonewithanother,havemadethemselveseveryonetheauthor,totheendhemayusethestrengthandmeansofthemallasheshallthinkexpedientfortheirpeaceandcommondefence。

  Andhethatcarryeththispersoniscalledsovereign,andsaidtohavesovereignpower;andeveryonebesides,hissubject。

  Theattainingtothissovereignpowerisbytwoways。One,bynaturalforce:aswhenamanmakethhischildrentosubmitthemselves,andtheirchildren,tohisgovernment,asbeingabletodestroythemiftheyrefuse;orbywarsubduethhisenemiestohiswill,givingthemtheirlivesonthatcondition。Theother,iswhenmenagreeamongstthemselvestosubmittosomeman,orassemblyofmen,voluntarily,onconfidencetobeprotectedbyhimagainstallothers。ThislattermaybecalledapoliticalCommonwealth,orCommonwealthbyInstitution;andtheformer,aCommonwealthbyacquisition。Andfirst,IshallspeakofaCommonwealthbyinstitution。

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