John Locke Quote

"And because it may be too great a temptation to human frailty, apt to grasp at power, for the same persons, who have the power of making laws, to have also in their hands the power to execute them, whereby they may exempt themselves from obedience to the laws they make, and suit the law, both in its making, and execution, to their own private advantage, and thereby come to have a distinct interest from the rest of the community, contrary to the end of society and government: therefore in well ordered commonwealths, where the good of the whole is so considered, as it ought, the legislative power is put into the hands of divers persons, who duly assembled, have by themselves, or jointly with others, a power to make laws, which when they have done, being separated again, they are themselves subject to the laws they have made; which is a new and near tie upon them, to take care, that they make them for the public good."

by:	John Locke (1632-1704) English philosopher and political theorist
Source:	Second Treatise of Civil Government [1690] http://www.gutenberg.org/files/7370/7370-h/7370-h.htm
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Categories:	Diversity, Equality, Government, Law, Power
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That's not a quote. It's a novel.  -- anonymous      1 1
Policemen, even off duty, do not get tickets. They don't even have to ask to be let off. They keep their badge next to their license so when pulled over . . . This is just one example where there isn't rampant abuse of privilege. Senators padding their six figure incomes are a rarity. You conservatives drive me nuts with "waste, fraud and abuse" being the reason you want reduced government. Those things can be fixed. Even when not discovered, future abuse is not less likely caught. This problem is small compared to the impact of the sum total of all their good intentions. Each page of their legislation on its own seems to concentrate the good and diffuse the bad. But the accumulated effect of 170,000 pages a year of new legislation, hobbles the productive part of the economy and reduces the incentives of the less productive.  -- Walter Clark, Fullerton CA      1
Locke was a devotee of Greek based natural law (as is averse to Hebrew natural law). Though the premise of his thoughts or arguments were sometimes questionable, his conclusions and applications were generally accepted by both understandings at natural law and justice (thus his popularity with the founders with their Hebrew based natural law desired representative republic). The quote here, more addresses a conclusion at justice (a natural law conclusion), concluding legal positivism procedure(s) rather than any complete through fruition philosophy of natural law. The occupying statist theocracy now infesting this land is defined unjust by Locke's here statement. By way of example; the gods in Washington have exempt themselves from the shame Obamacare that they have inflicted on an ignorant and enslaved populace. Walter's police example is more an example of corruption than Locke's here legislating of an elite caste. Walter, I agree with you, conservative's arguments for smaller government drive me nuts. If We The People had representatives of individual sovereign rights (not trying to manufacture and enforce an unjust utopia or otherwise doing a sum total of good intentions), the de jure body politic would be infinitesimally smaller - naturally - and the responsible sovereign would negate any argument in support of the immoral local standing armies (local police - as they are only revenuers and otherwise thugs for distant despots).  -- Mike, Norwalk      1
(-; anonymous, we understand your disdain of law, order, justice, inalienable rights, freedom, liberty, prosperity and now by your here comment, education. What is it you find worth a thumbs down ? Does your thumbs down represent the length of the novel (knowing so many big words tied together disturbs you somehow) or, do you support the socialist's applied caste system ? ;-)  -- Mike, Norwalk      1
ObamaCare is the classic example of what Locke described. Our government and our legislators play by their own rules. The corruption extends, expands and strangles our once great country. Semper Fi. b  -- bruski, naples FL      1
A very good novel I think. The moral codes of natural law, drawing from the inspiration of and creation by God stand upright. Our founding fathers in agreement, with the Rock upon which our Republic rest at natural law. One of Locke's favorites Ephesians 1:10. Natural law at odds with the infallibility of the king. A very old fight. Our liberty is from God not man. Atheist to be withstood at all cost, they are contrary to God and natural law. Truth of salvation whether of an individual or a nation has the same base of belief in God and inalienable rights derived from the God of nature. These are universal rights so stated in our Declaration of Independence. Current political jockeying is but to play both ends against the middle for our superficial benefit. Never to restore our true liberty and freedom. Semper Fi  -- Ronw13, Yachats Or      1
Mr. Locke, sir; My reaction to your treatise comes from a Broadway play: "By George, I think he's got it !"  -- BOB, CHARLOTTE      1
Sorry -- quote's not QUITE correct. I Googled it, It should be "... she's ..." and not "... he's ..." The quotation is from the My Fair Lady movie ( Julie Andrews ) based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. THERE ! Now I can go on to other issues.  -- BOB, CHARLOTTE
Sorry that this quote of John Locke's was too long for anonymous to read and comprehend. I fully agree that those who make the laws should also be bound by the very laws they create and should never, ever make themselves superior to the law ... but, bind all others to them. Such has been the unlawful case with the creation of the horrific ACA (Obamacare).  -- Mary - MI      1
He who owns the money owns the law, which is why those who own the money are able to excuse themselves....  -- Robert, St. Emilion, France
The old saying is " He who has the gold makes the rule " The golden rule ! One should read the Federalist papers, great read ! The lesser of two evils. Taxation of the individual sovereign is prohibited ! Tax a God given right is against the law of natures God.  -- Ronw13, Yachats Or      1
Robert, so, So, SO ! ! ! accurate.   -- Mike, Norwalk

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