The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 04 (of 11)
Thomas Hobbes · en
2. The inconvenience arising from government in general to him that
governeth, consisteth partly in the continual care and trouble about
the business of other men, that are his subjects; and partly, in the
danger of his person. For the head always is that part, not only
where the care resideth, but also against which the stroke of an
enemy most commonly is directed. To balance this incommodity, the
sovereignty, together with the necessity of this care and danger,
comprehendeth so much honour, riches, and means, whereby to delight
the mind, as no private man’s wealth can attain unto. The
inconveniences of government in general to a subject are none at
all, if well considered, but in appearance. There be two things that
may trouble his mind, or two general grievances; the one is, loss of
liberty; the other, the uncertainty of _meum_ and _tuum_. For the
first, it consisteth in this, that a subject may no more govern his
own actions according to his own discretion and judgment, or, which
is all one, conscience, as the present occasions from time to time
shall dictate to him; but must be tied to do according to that will
only, which once for all he had long ago laid up, and involved in
the wills of the major part of an assembly, or in the will of some
one man. But this is really no inconvenience. For, as it hath been
showed before, it is the only means, by which we have any
possibility of preserving ourselves. For if every man were allowed
this liberty of following his conscience, in such difference of
consciences, they would not live together in peace an hour. But it
appeareth a great inconvenience to every man in particular, to be
debarred of this liberty, because every one apart considereth it as
in himself, and not as in the rest; by which means, liberty
appeareth in the likeness of rule and government over others. For
where one man is at liberty, and the rest bound, there that one hath
government; which honour, he that understandeth not so much,
demanding by the name simply of liberty, thinketh it a great
grievance and injury to be denied it. For the second grievance
concerning _meum_ and _tuum_, it is also none, but in appearance
only; it consisteth in this, that the sovereign power taketh from
him that which he used to enjoy, knowing no other propriety, but use
and custom. But without such sovereign power, the right of men is
not propriety to anything, but a community, no better than to have
no right at all, as hath been showed, Part I. chapter I. section 10.
Propriety therefore being derived from the sovereign power, is not
to be pretended against the same, especially, when by it every
subject hath his propriety against every other subject, which when
sovereignty ceaseth, he hath not, because in that case they return
to war amongst themselves. Those levies therefore which are made
upon men’s estates, by the sovereign authority, are no more but the
price of that peace and defence which the sovereignty maintaineth
for them.