the man versus the state-第30章

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he　union　to　undertake；　it　follows　that　the　contact　entered　into　cannot　extend　to　such　unspecified　objects。　And　if　there　exists　no　expressed　or　understood　contact　between　the　union　and　its　members　respecting　unspecified　objects；　then　for　the　majority　to　coerce　the　minority　into　undertaking　them；　is　nothing　less　than　gross　tyranny。〃　

　　　　Naturally；　if　such　a　confusion　of　ideas　exists　in　respect　of　the　powers　of　a　majority　where　the　deed　of　incorporation　tacitly　limits　these　powers；　still　more　must　there　exist　such　a　confusion　where　there　has　been　no　deed　of　incorporation。　Nevertheless　the　same　principle　holds。　I　again　emphasize　the　proposition　that　the　members　of　an　incorporated　body　are　bound　〃severally　to　submit　to　the　will　of　the　majority　in　all　matters　concerning　the　fulfilment　of　the　objects　for　which　they　are　incorporated；　but　in　no　others。〃　And　I　contend　that　this　holds　of　an　incorporated　nation　as　much　as　of　an　incorporated　company。　　　　　　〃Yes；　but；〃　comes　the　obvious　rejoinder；　〃as　there　is　no　deed　by　which　the　members　of　a　nation　are　incorporated　　as　there　neither　is；　nor　ever　was；　a　specification　of　purposes　for　which　the　union　was　formed；　there　exist　no　limits；　and；　consequently；　the　power　of　the　majority　is　unlimited。〃　　　　　Evidently　it　must　be　admitted　that　the　hypothesis　of　a　social　contract；　either　under　the　shape　assumed　by　Hobbes　or　under　the　shape　assumed　by　Rousseau；　is　baseless。　Nay　more；　it　must　be　admitted　that　even　had　such　a　contract　once　been　formed；　it　could　not　be　binding　on　the　posterity　of　those　who　formed　it。　Moreover；　if　any　say　that　in　the　absence　of　those　Stations　to　its　powers　which　a　deed　of　incorporation　might　imply；　there　is　nothing　to　prevent　a　majority　from　imposing　its　will　on　a　minority　by　force；　assent　must　be　given　an　assent；　however；　joined　with　the　comment　that　if　the　superior　force　of　the　majority　is　its　justification；　then　the　superior　force　of　a　despot　backed　by　an　adequate　army；　is　also　justified：　the　problem　lapses。　What　we　here　seek　is　some　higher　warrant　for　the　subordination　of　minority　to　majority　than　that　arising　from　inability　to　resist　physical　coercion。　Even　Austin；　anxious　as　he　is　to　establish　the　unquestionable　authority　of　positive　law；　and　assuming；　as　he　does；　an　absolute　sovereignty　of　some　kind；　monarchic；　aristocratic；　constitutional；　or　popular；　as　the　source　of　its　unquestionable　authority；　is　obliged；　in　the　last　resort；　to　admit　a　moral　limit　to　its　action　over　the　community。　While　insisting；　in　pursuance　of　his　rigid　theory　of　sovereignty；　that　a　sovereign　body　originating　from　the　people　〃is　legally　free　to　abridge　their　political　liberty；　at　its　own　pleasure　or　discretion；〃　he　allows　that　〃a　government　may　be　hindered　by　positive　morality　from　abridging　the　political　liberty　which　it　leaves　or　grants　to　its　subjects。〃（4*）　Hence；　we　have　to　find；　not　a　physical　justification；　but　a　moral　justification；　for　the　supposed　absolute　power　of　the　majority。　　　　　　This　will　at　once　draw　forth　the　rejoinder　　〃Of　course；　in　the　absence　of　any　agreement；　with　its　implied　limitations；　the　rule　of　the　majority　is　unlimited；　because　it　is　more　just　that　the　majority　should　have　its　way　than　that　the　minority　should　have　its　way。〃　A　very　reasonable　rejoinder　this　seems　until　there　comes　the　re…rejoinder。　We　may　oppose　to　it　the　equally　tenable　proposition　that；　in　the　absence　of　an　agreement；　the　supremacy　of　a　majority　over　a　minority　does　not　exist　at　all。　It　is　co…operation　of　some　kind；　from　which　there　arise　these　powers　and　obligations　of　majority　and　minority；　and　in　the　absence　of　any　agreement　to　co…operate；　such　powers　and　obligations　are　also　absent。　　　　　　Here　the　argument　apparently　ends　in　a　dead　lock。　Under　the　existing　condition　of　things；　no　moral　origin　seems　assignable　either　for　the　sovereignty　of　the　majority　or　for　the　limitation　of　its　sovereignty。　But　further　consideration　reveals　a　solution　of　the　difficulty。　For　if；　dismissing　all　thought　of　any　hypothetical　agreement　to　cooperate　heretofore　made；　we　ask　what　would　be　the　agreement　into　which　citizens　would　now　enter　with　practical　unanimity；　we　get　a　sufficiently　clear　answer；　and　with　it　a　sufficiently　clear　justification　for　the　rule　of　the　majority　inside　a　certain　sphere；　but　not　outside　that　sphere。　Let　us　first　observe　a　few　of　the　limitations　which　at　once　become　apparent。　　　　　　Were　all　Englishmen　now　asked　if　they　would　agree　to　co…operate　for　the　teaching　of　religion；　and　would　give　the　majority　power　to　fix　the　creed　and　the　forms　of　worship；　there　would　come　a　very　emphatic　〃No〃　from　a　large　part　of　them。　If；　in　pursuance　of　a　proposal　to　revive　sumptuary　laws；　the　inquiry　were　made　whether　they　would　bind　themselves　to　abide　by　the　will　of　the　majority　in　respect　of　the　fashions　and　qualities　of　their　clothes；　nearly　all　of　them　would　refuse。　In　like　manner　if　（to　take　an　actual　question　of　the　day）　people　were　polled　to　ascertain　whether；　in　respect　of　the　beverages　they　drank；　they　would　accept　the　decision　of　the　greater　number；　certainly　half；　and　probably　more　than　half；　would　be　unwilling。　Similarly　with　respect　to　many　other　actions　which　most　men　now…a…days　regard　as　of　purely　private　concern。　Whatever　desire　there　might　be　to　co…operate　for　carrying　on；　or　regulating；　such　actions；　would　be　far　from　a　unanimous　desire。　Manifestly；　then；　had　social　co…operation　to　be　commenced　by　ourselves；　and　had　its　purposes　to　be　specified　before　consent　to　co…operate　could　be　obtained；　there　would　be　large　parts　of　human　conduct　in　respect　of　which　co…operation　would　be　declined；　and　in　respect　of　which；　consequently；　no　authority　by　the　majority　over　the　minority　could　be　rightfully　exercised。　　　　　　Turn　now　to　the　converse　question　　For　what　ends　would　all　men　agree　to　co…operate？　None　will　deny　that　for　resisting　invasion　the　agreement　would　be　practically　unanimous。　Excepting　only　the　Quakers；　who；　having　done　highly　useful　work　in　their　time；　are　now　dying　out；　all　would　unite　for　defensive　war　（not；　however；　for　offensive　war）；　and　they　would；　by　so　doing；　tacitly　bind　themselves　to　conform　to　the　will　of　the　majority　in　respect　of　measures　directed　to　that　end。　There　would　be　practical　unanimity；　also；　in　the　agreement　to　co…operate　for　defence　against　internal　enemies　as　against　eternal　enemies。　Omitting　criminals；　all　must　wish　to　have　person　and　property　adequately　protected。　In　short；　each　citizen　desires　to　preserve　his　life；　to　preserve　those　things　which　conduce　to　maintenance　of　his　life　and　enjoyment　of　it；　and　to　preserve　intact　his　liberties　both　of　using　these　things　and　getting　further　such。　It　is　obvious　to　him　that　he　cannot　do　all　this　if　he　acts　alone。　Against　foreign　invaders　he　is　powerless　unless　he　combines　with　his　fellows；　and　the　business　of　protecting　himself　against　domestic　invaders；　if　he　did　not　similarly　combine；　would　be　alike　onerous；　dangerous；　and　inefficient。　In　one　other　co…operation　all　are　interested　　use　of　the　territory　they　inhabit。　Did　the　primitive　communal　ownership　survive；　there　would　survive　the　primitive　communal　control　of　the　uses　to　be　made　of　land　by　individuals　or　by　groups　of　them；　and　decisions　of　the　majority　would　rightly　prevai