Authors:
  1. Quotes
  2. Authors
  3. J
  4. John Locke
  5. War

John Locke Quotes about War

All John Locke Quotes Age Ambition Art Atheism Balance Character Children Curiosity Desire Doubt Education Evil Exercise Fashion Freedom Giving Gold Happiness Health Honesty Ignorance Inspirational Judging Killing Knowledge Labor Language Learning Liberty Lying Memories Pain Passion Perception Perfection Philosophy Prejudice Reading Reflection Religion Science Son Suffering Teaching Temptation Truth Tyranny Understanding Violence Virtue War quotes Wealth Wisdom
Whenever legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved

Whenever legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any further obedience.

John Locke
Freedom, War, People
John Locke (1947). “Two Treatises of Government: With a Supplement, Patriarcha, by Robert Filmer”, p.233, Simon and Schuster

New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not already common.

John Locke
Business, Philosophy, War
An Essay Concerning Human Understanding "Dedicatory Epistle" (1690)

All mankind... being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions.

John Locke
Peace, War, Independent
John Locke (1821). “Two treatises of government”, p.191

Whoever uses force without Right ... puts himself into a state of War with those, against whom he uses it, and in that state all former Ties are canceled, all other Rights cease, and every one has a Right to defend himself, and to resist the Aggressor.

John Locke
War, Rights, Ties
John Locke (2012). “The Second Treatise of Government and A Letter Concerning Toleration”, p.126, Courier Corporation

All men are liable to error; and most men are, in many points, by passion or interest, under temptation to it.

John Locke
War, Passion, Men
An Essay Concerning Human Understanding bk. 4, ch. 20, sec. 17 (1690)

All the entertainment and talk of history is nothing almost but fighting and killing: and the honour and renown that is bestowed on conquerors (who for the most part are but the great butchers of mankind) farther mislead growing youth, who by this means come to think slaughter the laudable business of mankind, and the most heroic of virtues.

John Locke
War, Mean, Fighting
John Locke (1752). “Some Thoughts concerning Education ... The eleventh edition”, p.174

A criminal who, having renounced reason ... hath, by the unjust violence and slaughter he hath committed upon one, declared war against all mankind, and therefore may be destroyed as a lion or tiger, one of those wild savage beasts with whom men can have no society nor security.

John Locke
War, Men, Criminals
John Locke (2009). “The Second Treatise on Civil Government”, p.13, Prometheus Books

[I]t being reasonable and just, I should have a right to destroy that which threatens me with destruction: for by the fundamental law of nature, man being to be preserved as much as possible, when all cannot be preserved, the safety of the innocent is to be preferred: and one may destroy a man who makes war upon him, or has discovered an enmity to his being, for the same reason that he may kill a Wolf or a lion.

John Locke
War, Men, Should Have
John Locke (1956). “The Second Treatise of Government: (An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent and End of Civil Government), And, A Letter Concerning Toleration”, p.20, Library of Alexandria

Set the mind to work, and apply the thoughts vigorously to the business, for it holds in the struggles of the mind, as in those of war, that to think we shall conquer is to conquer.

John Locke
Business, War, Struggle

Whosoever will list himself under the banner of Christ, must, in the first place and above all things, make war upon his own lusts and vices. It is in vain for any man to usurp the name of Christian, without holiness of life, purity of manners, benignity and meekness of spirit.

John Locke
Christian, War, Men
John Locke (1765). “Letters Concerning Toleration: By Iohn Locke”, p.33

You May Also Like: