date

1821 April 15: First Lines
1821 April 15:

First Lines

Means

Distributive

4 Equality

\PS\.4. Equality

Fourth on the list of the benefits which the Civil Branch of the Law is occupied in

distributing - /is/ equality.

Of the four several possessions, for which according to their several natures,

security for individuals is required individually considered, property is the only

one, with relation to which, equality requires, or with propriety admits of, any

considerable diversification. With the exception of such cases Except in so far as

security cannot be given /afforded/ to one man, but by defalcation made from the

security given /afforded/ to another -, where is the man to whom appropriate security

ought not to be afforded for his person for his reputation or for his condition in

life? Where is the man to whom for any one of those three possessions, greater or

better security ought to be afforded than to any other?

Remains property as the only one of the four possessions, remains property as the

only one in relation to which, the application of the benefit of equality requires

any considerable discrimination or reserve.

Subsistence, security, - to the value of both these benefits, the value of that

which is presented by the word equality, is plainly subordinate. In regard to

subsistence the case is - that considered as apart from, and unaccompanied by,

abundance, equality is essentially involved and included in the very conception of

it: for as consistently with the supposition no man can in this case have more of the

means of subsistence than another, so consistently with his existence no man can have

less.
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  • Title: [1821 April 15 First Lines Means]
    Description: 1821 April 15

    First Lines

    Means

    Ch

    1. Distributive

    3. Security

    \PS\.3. Security -

    Third on the list of the benefits which the Civil branch of the Law is occupied in distributing is security.

    Security considered as applied to individuals has for its objects, four distinguishable possessions: person, reputation, property, and condition in life.

    Security has for its adversaries, against whose enterprises it is to be afforded, three classes of persons differently situated and denominated viz. foreign adversaries considered as such, - foreigners considered in s far as they are, or are liable to become adversaries; fellow citizens or fellow-subjects, considered in that same light; rulers viz. of the country in question considered in that same light.

    Of /As to/ the acts against which, security is to be afforded and by which in so far as they are committed /performed/, security is broken in upon and lessened, /they are/ in themselves and their immediate effects are the same, by which soever of the three species of adversaries they are exercised. Taken however in the aggregate, they are wont to be designated by a different denomination according to the situation of the class, to which the person or persons by whom they are exercised, is considered as belonging: if to that of foreign adversaries, they are denominated acts of hostility: if, to that of domestic adversaries, considered in the character of subjects, acts of delinquency; if to that of domestic adversaries, considered in the character of rulers, acts of oppression, or if the oppression be considered as to a certain degree flagrant, acts of tyranny: if

    The mode /operation/ in which
  • Title: [1821 April 15 S.3. Security]
    Description: 1821 April 15

    S.3. Security

    Third on the list of the benefits which the Civil branch of the Law is

    occupied in distributing security. Security considered as

    applied to individuals has for its objects, four distinguishable

    possessions: person, reputation, property, and condition in

    life.

    Security has for its adversaries, against whose enterprises is to be

    afforded, three classes of persons differently situated and denominated

    viz. foreign adversaries considered as such, — foreigners considered

    in so far as they are, or are liable to become

    adversaries; fellow citizens or fellow subjects, considered in

    that same light; rulers viz. of the country in question considered in that

    same light.

    As to Acts against which, security is to be afforded & by

    which in so far as they are performed

    , security or broken in upon & lessened, they

    are in themselves & their immediate effects

    the same, by which soever of the three species of adversaries they are

    exercised. Taken however in the aggregate, they are wont to be designated

    by a different denomination according to the situation of the

    class, to which the person or persons by whom they are exercised, is

    considered as belonging: if to that of foreign adversaries, they are

    denominated acts of hostility: if, to that of domestic

    adversaries, considered in the character of subjects, acts of delinquency;

    if to that of domestic adversaries, considered in the character of rulers,

    acts of oppression, or if the oppression be considered as to a certain

    degree flagrant, acts of tyrannt: if

    operation
  • Title: [1821. April 8th Explanations]
    Description: 1821. April 8th

    Explanations

    Equality

    1. [...?] ) (.2. [...?]

    By equality is here meant - not the utmost conceivable equality, but only

    practicable equality. The utmost conceivable equality has place only in the field of

    physics: it applies only to weight, measure, time, and thence to motion.

    Subsistence, abundance, security - for these three may there is place in the case of

    a simple individual: equality in reference to any one of those instruments of

    felicity, supposes the existence of individuals more than one: in the case of any

    number, it is conceivable will equal these.

    The utmost conceivable equality - say absolute equality admits not of degrees:

    practicable equality does admit of degrees.

    Equality is not itself, as those other three are, an immediate instrument of

    felicity: it operates only through the medium of those three: especially through

    abundance and security. Of all three taken together, the use, fruit and object, is

    felicity, - the maximum of felicity: the greatest happiness of the greatest number:

    of this maximum the magnitude is in proportion to equality: to /depends upon/ the

    degree of equality that has place in the distribution of /proportions in which/ those

    three are distributed.

    Apply it first to subsistence: strictly taken means or instruments of subsistence.

    Subsistence taken in the strict sense, there is not in this case in a place for

    degrees in the scale of equality: for by the supposition no inequality has place in

    this case. As contradistinguished from the instruments of abundance, by the means of

    subsistence is meant that least quantity of those instruments, which is such that

    with any lesser quantity, existence could not have place: no subsistence, no

    existence.