Oft the Foundation of Civil Government. 507 



governors or the governed. This right of de- 

 termination ought not to belong to the former, 

 becaufe they not only may, but generally have 

 an intereft oppofite to the welfare of the whole 

 community — the honours, the power and the 

 emoluments annexed to offices of government, 

 being univerfally defirable, the pofiefTors will 

 be perpetually induced to fupport their own 

 continuance in the enjoyment of them, whether 

 necefiary or otherwife to the ends of fociety. 

 The people however can have no intereft but 

 that of the community at large (/. e. of them- 

 felves) and of courfe can have no other objeft 

 in determining, but the objed itfelf for which 

 fociety was formed. 



The will of the people therefore (i. e. of the 

 majority) afcertained as correflly as the nature of 

 the cafe will admit is of itfelf a fufficient reafon 

 for any change whatever, in the conftitution of a 

 kingdom or the officers of government. 



XXXII. As the people have this right, they 

 have alfo a right to the means of enabling them 

 to exercife it : otherwife (as I have obferved 

 before) the right itfelf is nugatory; a mere name. 

 Hence if after every peaceable method of obtain- 

 ing any political change, has been repeatedly 

 ufed in vain on the part of the people, the latter 

 will be juftified in rifing to compel an obedience 

 to their commands. 



XXXIII. But 



