Quotation
Quote by John Locke
The great and chief end, therefore, of men's uniting into commonwealths, and putting themselves under government, is the preservation of their property.
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The quote says that people form political communities and accept government mainly to protect what belongs to them. “Property” can mean their possessions and personal interests. Government is therefore presented as a practical arrangement: people give it authority because they expect it to preserve their security and ownership, rather than leave these matters entirely to individual strength.
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- Source
- Wikisource, Two Treatises of Government, Book II, §124
- Format
- Official Statement
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