Be good Quote by John Locke
“For a man's property is not at all secure, though there be good and equitable laws to set the bounds of it, between him and his fellow subjects, if he who commands those subjects, have power to take from any private man, what part he pleases of his property, and use and dispose of it as he thinks good.”
About This Quote
Source Treat: Second Treatise of Government, 1689
Property rights are vulnerable when a ruler can arbitrarily seize them despite fair laws.
In simple terms: Rulers can take private property despite laws.
Key Takeaway
Guard against unchecked authority.
Themes
property
rights
government
law
authority
Mood
cautious
critical
reflective
Type
political
legal
philosophical
When to use this quote
- political reform
- civil rights activism
- constitutional drafting
- public policy debates
Key Concepts
social contract
arbitrary power
legal limits
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies ensure laws truly protect property?
- What mechanisms limit ruler’s power?
A Different Perspective
Even with laws, enforcement may be biased or ignored.
![“[M]an is not permitted without censure to follow his own thoughts in the search of truth, when they lead him ever so little out of the common road.” quote by John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9bd/john-locke-814_censorship_m-an-is-not-permitted-without-censure-to_60175.jpg)
