more from this thinker | more from this text
Full Idea
No one will ever be able to transfer his power and (consequently) his right to another person in such a way that he ceases to be a human being.
Gist of Idea
No one, in giving up their power and right, ceases to be a human being
Source
Baruch de Spinoza (Tractatus Theologico-Politicus [1670], 17.01)
Book Ref
Spinoza,Benedict de: 'Theological-Political Treatise', ed/tr. Israel,Jonathan [CUP 2007], p.208
A Reaction
Spinoza disdains natural rights, but this is a modest (and pretty uncontroversial) concession.
Related Idea
Idea 19916 The order of nature does not prohibit anything, and allows whatever appetite produces [Spinoza]
| 2369 | If we seek peace and defend ourselves, we must compromise on our rights [Hobbes] |
| 19918 | Forming a society meant following reason, and giving up dangerous appetites and mutual harm [Spinoza] |
| 19919 | People only give up their rights, and keep promises, if they hope for some greater good [Spinoza] |
| 19921 | Once you have given up your rights, there is no going back [Spinoza] |
| 19925 | In democracy we don't abandon our rights, but transfer them to the majority of us [Spinoza] |
| 19928 | No one, in giving up their power and right, ceases to be a human being [Spinoza] |
| 19929 | Everyone who gives up their rights must fear the recipients of them [Spinoza] |
| 19932 | The early Hebrews, following Moses, gave up their rights to God alone [Spinoza] |
| 19873 | We all own our bodies, and the work we do is our own [Locke] |
| 19884 | There is only a civil society if the members give up all of their natural executive rights [Locke] |
| 19794 | If we all give up all of our rights together to the community, we will always support one another [Rousseau] |
| 7241 | In society man loses natural liberty, but gains a right to civil liberty and property [Rousseau] |
| 19806 | We alienate to society only what society needs - but society judges that, not us [Rousseau] |
| 21084 | In the contract people lose their rights, but immediately regain them, in the new commonwealth [Kant] |
| 21065 | You can't make a contract renouncing your right to make contracts! [Kant] |