“For men being all the workmanship of one omnipotent, and infinitely wise maker; all the servants of one sovereign master, sent into the world by his order, and about his business; they are his property, whose workmanship they are, made to last during his, not one another's pleasure.”John Locke · Al doilea tratat despre cârmuire · 1689 · capitolul 2, paragraful 6
Each person belongs to God, not to other people, so no one holds absolute power over another.
Locke grounds natural rights in theology: because we are all created by the same God, no one has absolute authority over another. Every man is God's 'property,' not other men's. Therefore, we cannot dispose of our own or others' lives at will. For example, slavery is wrong because it violates this principle of divine ownership of man.
Locke says no one may harm another in life, health, liberty or possessions. This is because we are not our own masters, but God's. For example, if your neighbor breaks your fence, it is not just property damage. It is a violation of the divine order that protects every person. So your rights do not come from the state, but from a deeper place.
Why it matters This quote is the philosophical basis for the idea that human rights are inalienable and cannot be granted or withdrawn by the state.