Everybody is satisfied, that a conservation and secure…
““Everybody is satisfied, that a conservation and secure enjoyment of our natural rights is the great and ultimate purpose of civil society; and that therefore all forms whatsoever of government are only good as they are subservient to that purpose to which they are entirely subordinate. Now, to aim at the establishment of any form of government by sacrificing what is the substance of it; to take away, or at least to suspend, the rights of nature, in order to an approved system for the protection of them . . . is a procedure as preposterous and absurd in argument as it is oppressive and cruel in its effect.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Government exists to protect natural rights; sacrificing those rights for any system is absurd and oppressive.
In simple terms: Governments must serve natural rights, not the other way around.
Key Takeaway
Protect rights before implementing policies.
Themes
political philosophy
rights
government
ethics
Mood
principled
critical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- Legislative reform
- civil rights activism
- policy debates
Key Concepts
social contract
liberalism
Practical Applications
- Advocate for policies that uphold natural rights
Questions to Reflect On
- What rights are non‑negotiable?
- When is it acceptable to limit rights for security?
A Different Perspective
Compromising rights can be justified in emergencies.