Single Idea 19909

[catalogued under 24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 2. State Legitimacy / c. Social contract]

Full Idea

That which makes the community, and brings men out of the loose state of Nature into one politic society, is the agreement that everyone has with the rest to incorporate and act as one body.

Gist of Idea

A politic society is created from a state of nature by a unanimous agreement

Source

John Locke (Second Treatise of Government [1690], 211)

Book Reference

Locke,John: 'Two Treatises of Government' [Everyman 1988], p.224


A Reaction

Geography usually keeps commonwealths in place once they have been established, but some of them become disfunctional hell holes because they are trapped in perpetual disagreement.