The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 04 (of 11)
Thomas Hobbes · en
5. The end for which one man giveth up, and relinquisheth to
another, or others, the right of protecting and defending himself by
his own power, is the security which he expecteth thereby, of
protection and defence from those to whom he doth so relinquish it;
and a man may then account himself in the estate of security, when
he can foresee no violence to be done unto him, from which the doer
may not be deterred by the power of that sovereign, to whom they
have every one subjected themselves: and without that security,
there is no reason for a man to deprive himself of his own
advantages, and make himself a prey to others. And therefore when
there is not such a sovereign power erected, as may afford this
security, it is to be understood, that every man’s right of doing
whatsoever seemeth good in his own eyes, remaineth still with him;
and contrariwise, where any subject hath right by his own judgment
and discretion, to make use of his force, it is to be understood,
that every man hath the like, and consequently, that there is no
commonwealth at all established. How far therefore in the making of
a commonwealth, man subjecteth his will to the power of others, must
appear from the end, namely, security. For whatsoever is necessary
to be by covenant transferred, for the attaining thereof, so much is
transferred, or else every man is in his natural liberty to secure
himself.
[Sidenote: Covenants of government without power of coercion, are no
security.]
6. Covenants agreed upon by every man assembled for the making of a
commonwealth, and put in writing without erecting of a power of
coercion, are no reasonable security for any of them that so
covenant, nor are to be called laws, and leave men still in the
estate of nature and hostility. For seeing the wills of most men are
governed only by fear, and where there is no power of coercion,
there is no fear, the wills of most men will follow their passions
of covetousness, lust, anger, and the like, to the breaking of those
covenants, whereby the rest, also, who otherwise would keep them,
are set at liberty, and have no law, but from themselves.
[Sidenote: Power coercive, &c.]
7. This power of coercion, as hath been said, chap. II. sect. 3, of
the former part, consisteth in the transferring of every man’s right
of resistance against him, to whom he hath transferred the power of
coercion. It followeth therefore, that no man in any commonwealth
whatsoever, hath right to resist him, or them, to whom they have
transferred this power coercive, or (as men use to call it) the
sword of justice, supposing the not-resistance possible. For, Part
I. chapter II. sect. 18, covenants bind but to the utmost of our
endeavour.
[Sidenote: The sword of war, &c.]