I-ll-kill-you Quote by John Locke
““This makes it Lawful for a Man to Kill a Thief, who has not in the least hurt him, nor declared any design upon his life, any farther then by the use of Force, so to get him in his Power, as to take away his Money, or what he pleases from him.: because using force, where he has no Right, to get me into his Power, let his pretense be what it will, I have no reason to purpose that he, who would take away my Liberty, would not when he had me in his Power, take away every thing else. And therefore it is Lawful for me to treat him, as one who has put himself into a State of War with me, I.e. kill him if I can; for to that hazard does he justly expose himself, whoever introduces a State of War, and is Aggressor in it.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Two Treatises of Government, 1689
The passage argues that using force to dominate another without justification makes the victim a legitimate target for lethal force, treating them as an aggressor in a state of war.
In simple terms: If someone forces you without right, you may kill them.
Key Takeaway
Recognize when force is unjustified.
Themes
justice
legitimacy
self‑defence
war
morality
Mood
defensive
serious
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- political theory
- legal justification
- ethical debate
- personal autonomy
Key Concepts
social contract
property rights
state of nature
Questions to Reflect On
- Is force always justified when rights are violated?
- Can power dynamics be resolved without lethal means?
A Different Perspective
The argument assumes a binary view of aggression and ignores non‑violent resolution.
![“[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)
