date

1822 March 25 Rid Yourselves
1822 March 25

Rid Yourselves

Note?

Part 1

Letter 2. Interests

and in the subjection of the power being in the instance of real possession supposed

the same in this supposition the quantity of uneasiness will be greater and greater

in proportion as the numbers of those under subjection to the power is great when

compared with the number of them by whom the correspondent power is possessed. Hence

it is that the greatest happiness of the greatest number requires that the quantity

of power exercised /possessed/ to the least quantity that can have place consistently

with the fulfilment of the end of government. As to misdeeds, the agents /misdoers/

at whose hands damage to those several possessions or mass to be apprehended, are the

possessions of the several parties of the aggregate /power possessors/ mass of the

power exercised by the functionaries of government by these functionaries among who

the powers of government are shared: the facility of producing damage as above [...?]

on the part those ordinary misdoers who by the sharers in the power of government are

stiled malefactors and criminals as nothing compared with

the quantity of their faculties possessed by the functionaries of government.

Security to be entire must therefore be not only against foreign /damage from/

misdoers and against damage from ordinary and powerless internal misdoers but against

damage from public functionaries acting in /as/ the character of misdoers. To afford this security is the characteristic object professed to

be aimed at by the Constitutional Code. As to equality in respect of the above

several possessors that which causes in so far as obtainable without [...?] to

security causes it to be required by the greatest happiness of the greatest number is

- that in so far as inequality has place, the enjoyment /good/ obtained by him who

has most is less than the evil suffered by him who has least: and the difference is

so great, that if one man had for example a million of times the quantity quantity of

the external instruments of felicity that another man has it might still be a

question whether the felicity of the one were so much as [...?] so great as that of

the other Absolute equality however would neither be consistent with the greatest

happiness of the greatest number, as with security on the part of the greatest

number, nor yet with physical possibility: who in respect of the greatest happiness

of the greatest number equality is spoken of as a state of things desirable, which is

to be understood as such one approach to absolute equality as is consistent with

security: and for the designation of this degree, the term practical equality may serve.
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    Rid Yourselves

    Part 1

    Letter 2. Interests

    Next comes sinister interest

    Of the greatest happiness of the greatest number such elements as are at the

    disposal of government may be found the external instruments of felicity - all of

    them objects of general and /not to say/ little less than universal desire. These

    will be found comprisable under the one or other /another/ of the four following

    appellations /denominations/ subsistence, abundance, security and equality: under

    /by/ one or other of these appellations will the several external instruments of

    felicity be found comprizable /designated/ subsistence and abundance have for their

    common instrument the matter of wealth, in all its several shapes, differing from one

    another no otherwise than in respect of the quantity of it: Person, reputation,

    property and condition in life - under one or other of these appellations

    /denominations/ may be found comprized all the several objects for which security as

    /can be/ looked for at the hands of government: property being but another

    appellation employed to designate the matter of wealth the matter of which wealth is

    comprised: and reputation and property together with reputation and power: in such

    quantity as is not adverse to the end confirmed /power in whatsoever shape and

    quantity established/ of which the greatest happiness principle allows of so much as

    contributes to the greatest happiness of the greatest number constituting whatsoever

    is instrumental to felicity in the complex [...?] [...?] condition in life. /By/

    Security in so far as it has place is meant the absence of damage: damage namely 1.

    all theire several possessions: or else the efficient cause /whatever it be/ of such

    absence damage has for its cause either firstly physical agency or human agency,-

    [...?] to be [...?] must be but to be exclude the efficiency of all the several

    causes of damage to these several possessions. These are either occurrences purely

    physical, or human acts: acts which also considered in respect of such their cause

    consequences are termed misdeeds. As to power on the one

    part - power of one individual over another - it can not have place in any certain or

    permanent footing but in proportion to subjection in the

    other, for it is only by and in proportion to the subjection that the power is

    constituted. Power in a certain quantity, even in the shape in which it is

    constituted by subjection is necessary in the existence of a state of government: put

    an end to all power, you put an end to government. But, the case of unmaturity of age

    out of the question, as between any two persons are possessing power the other

    /being/ subjection to that same power, the enjoyment derived from /resulting/

    /produced by/ the possession and exercise of such power /on the one part/ is not

    equal to the universal [...?] resulting from produced by the consciousness if the

    subjection to it in the other part much
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    Security bears reference to evil, and can no otherwise be understood than by reference to it: security is security against Evil. Evil may be considered in respect of its nature, or in respect of its source

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    XII. Inequalities[?] tolerated

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    The idea attached to the word equality as applied to rights and possessions and rights is apt not to be a clear one: it is apt to give rise to errors: to errors in theory, and thence in practice.

    It will be sure to give rise to errors of the relation of it to happiness be ever out of view. The proper /ultimate/ end of government is - not equality but the greatest happiness of the greatest number: equality no otherwise than in so far as it is a means conducive to that ultimate end /in no other character than that of a subordinate end/. If all were equality[ sic] miserable, here would be equality: if all were equally indigent, here too would be equality. But neither the one nor the other is what men mean when they set up equality in the character of an end: of an end to the attainment of which the whole force of government - of man in society - should be directed.

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