1822 June 17

Economy etc

The greatest happiness of the greatest number is the only right and proper end of government: of all, in so far as the happiness of all can be encreased with out lessening the happiness of any: of the greatest number in so far as the happiness of some can not be encreased except on condition of diminishing at the same time the /unless by [...?] defalcation made from the/ happiness of others

The net amount of happiness thus produced will be directly as the sum of happiness or say good produced, and inversely the sum of unhappiness or say evil produced by the same means.

All Government is in the very essence of it an evil: for government can not be carried on but in proportion as obligation is created; and taken by itself all obligation is an evil. To exercise the powers of government is accordingly to do evil: to exercise the powers of government in pursuance of the only right and proper end of government, is to do evil, to the end and with the intent that in the greatest possible quantity good may ensue.

The goodness of the government will be as the aptitude of the portions of law enacted by it and the operations performed by it: their aptitude with relation to that same end.

External circumstances the same, The aptitude of these same portions of law will be as the appropriate or say relative aptitude of the persons respectively employed /bearing part respectively/ in the enactment of them: the aptitude of the operation will be as the aptitude of the operators.

Taken /Taking it/ by itself and setting aside /apart/ /abstraction made/ all pleasure and profit produced by it, on this occasion as on others all expence is evil, all expence, in whatsoever shape.