IX GOVERNMENT 4-1 1 



are negative ; and that governments have no ri^lit 

 to take any positive steps for the promotion of the 

 welfare of the governed. Von Humboldt does not 

 encumber himself with Locke's " limited contract," 

 but starts an a priori axiom of his own, 

 namely : 



That reason cannot desire for any man any other condition 

 than that in which each individual not only enjoys the most 

 absolute freedom of developing himself by his own energies in 

 his perfect individuality, but in which external nature even is 

 left unfashioned by any human agency, but only receives the 

 impress given to it by each individual by himself and his own 

 free will, according to the measure of his wants and instincts, 

 and restricted only by the limits of his powers and rights, 

 (p. 18). 



From this very considerable assumption (which I 

 must say does not appear to me to possess the 

 quality of intuitive certainty) the conclusion is 

 deduced that 



the State is to abstain from all solicitude for the positive wel- 

 fare of the citizens and not to proceed a step farther than is 

 necessary for their mutual security and protection against 

 foreign enemies ; for with no other object should it impose 

 restrictions on freedom. 



This conclusion differs but little from that of 

 Locke, verbally. Nevertheless in its practical 

 application, Von Humboldt excludes not only all 

 and every matter of religion, of morals, and of 

 education, but the relations of the sexes, and all 

 private actions not injurious to other citizens, from 





