---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whoever uses force without Right ... puts…"
description: "\"Whoever uses force without Right ... puts himself into a state of War with those, against whom he uses it, and in that state all former Ties are cancel..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/815/john-locke-814_aggressors_whoever-uses-force-without-right-puts-hi_3124009.png"
---

#  Whoever uses force without Right ... puts himself into a…

![“Whoever uses force without Right ... puts himself into a state of War with those, against whom he uses it, and in that state all former Ties are canceled, all other Rights cease, and every one has a Right to defend himself, and to resist the Aggressor.” quote by John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/815/john-locke-814_aggressors_whoever-uses-force-without-right-puts-hi_3124009.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/815/john-locke-814_aggressors_whoever-uses-force-without-right-puts-hi_3124009.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/815/john-locke-814_aggressors_whoever-uses-force-without-right-puts-hi_3124009.png)

> “Whoever uses force without Right ... puts himself into a state of War with those, against whom he uses it, and in that state all former Ties are canceled, all other Rights cease, and every one has a Right to defend himself, and to resist the Aggressor.”

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Argues that force without moral justification creates perpetual conflict, nullifying existing bonds and rights, granting self‑defense against aggressors.

**In simple terms:** Unjust force leads to war and loss of rights.

Key Takeaway

Resist illegitimate aggression.

Themes

justice rights conflict

Mood

serious defensive

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

- political protest
- personal safety
- legal disputes
- international relations

Key Concepts

social contract legitimacy self‑defense

Questions to Reflect On

- When is force morally justified?
- How can societies prevent escalation?

A Different Perspective

May be used to justify endless cycles of retaliation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Aggressors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggressors/) [Cease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cease/) [Cease Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cease-right-5496908/) [Defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Former](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/former/) [Resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resistance/) [Right Defend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-defend-250979/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Rights Cease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-cease-3293151/) [State War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-war-613918/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Ties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ties/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/)

## Related quotes

> [“It is not that difficult to understand and differentiate between our said rights and our assumption that we solely own them. (...) Your right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudys-kantara/it-is-not-that-difficult-to-understand-and-differentiate-between-our/)

[Claudys Kantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudys-kantara/)

> [For everybody has a natural right to defend his own person and property against aggressors, but also to go to the assistance and defence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/for-everybody-has-a-natural-right-to-defend-his-own-person-and/)

[Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/)

> [Whenever legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/whenever-legislators-endeavor-to-take-away-and-destroy-the-property/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [ \[Individuals\] have a right to defend themselves and recover by force what by unlawful force is taken from them. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/individuals-have-a-right-to-defend-themselves-and-recover-by-force/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/in-our-own-native-land-in-defense-of-the-freedom-that-is-our/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [“That there are men in all countries to whom a state of war is a mine of wealth, is a fact never to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/that-there-are-men-in-all-countries-to-whom-a-state-of-war-is-a-mine/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

> [“All oppression creates a state of war. And this is no exception.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/all-oppression-creates-a-state-of-war-and-this-is-no-exception/)

[Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/)

> [No state at war with another state should engage in hostilities of such a kind as to render mutual confidence impossible when peace will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/no-state-at-war-with-another-state-should-engage-in-hostilities-of/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [American policy seems to be wed to a perpetual state of war. Why? History shows that the world will always be in flux or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/american-policy-seems-to-be-wed-to-a-perpetual-state-of-war-why/)

[Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/)

> [It is obvious that taking the country from a state of war to being a lawful state won't be easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/it-is-obvious-that-taking-the-country-from-a-state-of-war-to-being-a/)

[Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/)

> [As soon as man enters into a state of society he loses the sense of his weakness; equality ceases, and then commences the state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-soon-as-man-enters-into-a-state-of-society-he-loses-the-sense-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There’s no condition one adjusts to so quickly as a state of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/there-s-no-condition-one-adjusts-to-so-quickly-as-a-state-of-war/)

[Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/)

> [“Naphta loathed the bourgeois state and its love of security. He found occasion to express this loathing one autumn afternoon when, as they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/naphta-loathed-the-bourgeois-state-and-its-love-of-security-he-found/)

[Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/)

> [All oppression creates a state of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/all-oppression-creates-a-state-of-war/)

[Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/)

> [Each particular society begins to feel its strength, whence arises a state of war between different nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/each-particular-society-begins-to-feel-its-strength-whence-arises-a/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by John Locke

> [I thought that I had no time for faith nor time to pray, then I saw an armless man saying his Rosary with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/i-thought-that-i-had-no-time-for-faith-nor-time-to-pray-then-i-saw-an/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [I pretend not to teach, but to inquire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/i-pretend-not-to-teach-but-to-inquire/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [If we trace the progress of our minds, and with attention observe how it repeats, adds together, and unites its simple ideas received from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/if-we-trace-the-progress-of-our-minds-and-with-attention-observe-how/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [Thus parents, by humouring and cockering them when little, corrupt the principles of nature in their children, and wonder afterwards to taste the bitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/thus-parents-by-humouring-and-cockering-them-when-little-corrupt-the/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [ “\[M\]an is not permitted without censure to follow his own thoughts in the search of truth, when they lead him ever so little out… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/m-an-is-not-permitted-without-censure-to-follow-his-own-thoughts-in/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [Fashion for the most part is nothing but the ostentation of riches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/fashion-for-the-most-part-is-nothing-but-the-ostentation-of-riches/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [When we know our own strength, we shall the better know what to undertake with hopes of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/when-we-know-our-own-strength-we-shall-the-better-know-what-to/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [Every man has a property in his own person. This nobody has a right to, but himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/every-man-has-a-property-in-his-own-person-this-nobody-has-a-right-to/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [“Earthly minds, like mud-walls, resist the strongest batteries: And though perhaps sometimes the force of a clear argument may make some impression, yet they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/earthly-minds-like-mud-walls-resist-the-strongest-batteries-and/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [“To avoid this state of war (wherein there is no appeal but to heaven, and wherein every the least difference is apt to end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/to-avoid-this-state-of-war-wherein-there-is-no-appeal-but-to-heaven/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [If by gaining knowledge we destroy our health, we labour for a thing that will be useless in our hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/if-by-gaining-knowledge-we-destroy-our-health-we-labour-for-a-thing/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [“don’t let the things you don’t have prevent you from using the things you do have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/don-t-let-the-things-you-don-t-have-prevent-you-from-using-the-things/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [Power to do good is the true and lawful act of aspiring; for good thoughts (though God accept them), yet towards men are little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/power-to-do-good-is-the-true-and-lawful-act-of-aspiring-for-good/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [The body of People may with Respect resist intolerable Tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-body-of-people-may-with-respect-resist-intolerable-tyranny/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [Anger is uneasiness or discomposure of the mind upon the receipt of any injury, with a present purpose of revenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/anger-is-uneasiness-or-discomposure-of-the-mind-upon-the-receipt-of/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

[Explore all 355 John Locke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

## More Aggressors quotes

> [Azerbaijan unleashed the war, and was defeated in that war; Azerbaijan asked for truce (including from the Commander of Karabakh's forces) and later started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serzh-sargsyan/azerbaijan-unleashed-the-war-and-was-defeated-in-that-war-azerbaijan/)

[Serzh Sargsyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serzh-sargsyan/)

> [There is no shame in being a survivor of sexual violence. The shame is on the aggressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/there-is-no-shame-in-being-a-survivor-of-sexual-violence-the-shame-is/)

[Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/)

> [A man's excellence is like that of water; It benefits all things without striving; It takes to the low places shunned by men. Water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/a-man-s-excellence-is-like-that-of-water-it-benefits-all-things/)

[Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/)

> [In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/in-our-own-native-land-in-defense-of-the-freedom-that-is-our/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [In my experience of fights and fighting, it is invariably the aggressor who keeps getting everything wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/in-my-experience-of-fights-and-fighting-it-is-invariably-the/)

[Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/)

> [Could anyone in his right mind speak seriously of any limited nuclear war? It should be quite clear that the aggressor's actions will instantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitriy-ustinov/could-anyone-in-his-right-mind-speak-seriously-of-any-limited-nuclear/)

[Dmitriy Ustinov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitriy-ustinov/)

> [I'm sure if you were a Bosnian during the war, you would wish to kill Serbs. Just because it is the opposite of you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspar-noe/i-m-sure-if-you-were-a-bosnian-during-the-war-you-would-wish-to-kill/)

[Gaspar Noe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaspar-noe/)

> [Let us not ignore the truth among ourselves ... politically we are the aggressors and they defend themselves... The country is theirs, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ben-gurion/let-us-not-ignore-the-truth-among-ourselves-politically-we-are-the/)

[David Ben-Gurion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ben-gurion/)

> [Being tolerant does not mean acquiescing to the intolerable; it does not mean covering up disrespect; it does not mean coddling the aggressor or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-acquiescing-to-the-intolerable-it-does/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [If we as a society want to cure unemployment, raise real wages, and in other ways improve our economy, we will base public policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-block/if-we-as-a-society-want-to-cure-unemployment-raise-real-wages-and-in/)

[Walter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-block/)

> [We must prevent a criminal understanding between the Fascist aggressors and the British and French imperialist clique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/we-must-prevent-a-criminal-understanding-between-the-fascist/)

[Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/)

> [Those who plead their cause in the absence of an opponent can invent to their heart's content, can pontificate without taking into account the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-de-pizan/those-who-plead-their-cause-in-the-absence-of-an-opponent-can-invent/)

[Christine de Pizan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-de-pizan/)

> [Our arms must be mighty ... ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/our-arms-must-be-mighty-ready-for-instant-action-so-that-no-potential/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [At the U.N., any nation that fights back is censored as an "aggressor."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/at-the-u-n-any-nation-that-fights-back-is-censored-as-an-aggressor/)

[Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/)

> [In the end, the aggressors always destroy themselves, making way for others who know how to cooperate and get along. Life is much less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritjof-capra/in-the-end-the-aggressors-always-destroy-themselves-making-way-for/)

[Fritjof Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritjof-capra/)

[Browse all 89 Aggressors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggressors/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Whoever uses force without Right ... puts himself into a state of War with those, against whom he uses it, and in that state all former Ties are canceled, all other Rights cease, and every one has a Right to defend himself, and to resist the Aggressor.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Locke"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/whoever-uses-force-without-right-puts-himself-into-a-state-of-war/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Aggressors"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/whoever-uses-force-without-right-puts-himself-into-a-state-of-war/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/815/john-locke-814_aggressors_whoever-uses-force-without-right-puts-hi_3124009.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/815/john-locke-814_aggressors_whoever-uses-force-without-right-puts-hi_3124009.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/815/john-locke-814_aggressors_whoever-uses-force-without-right-puts-hi_3124009.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Whoever uses force without Right ... puts himself into a state of War with those, against whom he uses it…” — John Locke",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Locke",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Whoever uses force without Right ......",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/whoever-uses-force-without-right-puts-himself-into-a-state-of-war/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/whoever-uses-force-without-right-puts-himself-into-a-state-of-war/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
