The Leviathan (1651), the Two Treatises of Government (1689), the Social Contract (1762), the Constitution of Pennsylvania (1776)

Download or read book The Leviathan (1651), the Two Treatises of Government (1689), the Social Contract (1762), the Constitution of Pennsylvania (1776) written by John Locke and published by . This book was released on 2019-12-26 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Leviathan (1651), The Two Treatises of Government (1689), The Social Contract (1762), The Constitution of Pennsylvania (1776) - The Original Texts from Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau and The Founding Fathers of the United States - Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau and the Founding Fathers of the United States of America In Chronological Order - Excerpt from the Constitution of Pennsylvania 1776: WHEREAS all government ought to be instituted and supported forthe security and protection of the community as such, and to enable the individuals who compose it toenjoy their natural rights, and the other blessings which the Author of existence has bestowed upon man;and whenever these great ends of government are not obtained, the people have a right, by commonconsent to change it, and take such measures as to them may appear necessary to promote their safetyand happiness. AND WHEREAS the inhabitants of this commonwealth have in consideration ofprotection only, heretofore acknowledged allegiance to the king of Great Britain; and the said king hasnot only withdrawn that protection, but commenced, and still continues to carry on, with unabatedvengeance, a most cruel and unjust war against them, employing therein, not only the troops of GreatBritain, but foreign mercenaries, savages and slaves, for the avowed purpose of reducing them to a totaland abject submission to the despotic domination of the British parliament, with many other acts oftyranny, (more fully set forth in the declaration of Congress) whereby all allegiance and fealty to thesaid king and his successors, are dissolved and at an end, and all power and authority derived from himceased in these colonies. AND WHEREAS it is absolutely necessary for the welfare and safety of theinhabitants of said colonies, that they be henceforth free and independent States, and that just,permanent, and proper forms of government exist in every part of them, derived from and founded onthe authority of the people only, agreeable to the directions of the honourable American Congress. We,the representatives of the freemen of Pennsylvania, in general convention met, for the express purpose offraming such a government, confessing the goodness of the great Governor of the universe (who aloneknows to what degree of earthly happiness mankind may attain, by perfecting the arts of government) inpermitting the people of this State, by common consent, and without violence, deliberately to form forthemselves such just rules as they shall think best, for governing their future society; and being fullyconvinced, that it is our indispensable duty to establish such original principles of government, as willbest promote the general happiness of the people of this State, and their posterity, and provide for futureimprovements, without partiality for, or prejudice against any particular class, sect, or denomination ofmen whatever, do, by virtue of the authority vested in us by our constituents, ordain, declare, andestablish, the following Declaration of Rights and Frame of Government, to be the CONSTITUTION ofthis commonwealth, and to remain in force therein for ever, unaltered, except in such articles as shallhereafter on experience be found to require improvement, and which shall by the same authority of thepeople, fairly delegated as this frame of government directs, be amended or improved for the moreeffectual obtaining and securing the great end and design of all government, herein before mentioned.