34 lines
1.5 KiB
Plaintext
34 lines
1.5 KiB
Plaintext
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The Authority of Government
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by William Godwin
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from 'An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice", 1793
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Authority in the last of the three senses alluded to is where a man,
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in issuing his precept, does not deliver that which may be neglected
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with impunity; but his requisition is attended with a sanction, and
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the violation of it will be followed with a penalty. This is the species
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of authority which properly connects itself with the idea of government.
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It is a violation of political justice to confound the authority which
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depends upon force, with the authority which aruses from reverence and
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esteem; the modification of my conduct which might be due in the case if
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wild beast, with the modification which is due to superior wisdom. These
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kinds of authority may happen to vest in the same person; but they
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are altogether distinct and independent.
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To a government, therefore, that talked to us of deference to political
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authority, and honour to be rendered to our superiors, our answer should
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be: "It is yours to shackle the body, and restrain our external actions;
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that is a restraint we understand. Announce your penalties, and we will
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make our election of submission or suffering. But do not seek to enslave
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our minds. Exhibit your force in its plainest form, for that is your
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province; but seek not to inveigle and mislead us. Obedience and external
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submission is all you are entitled to claim; you can have no right to
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extort our deference, and command us not to see, and disapprove of, your
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errors."
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