Pufendorf: On the Duty of Man and Citizen according to Natural Law

1. We have next to inquire into the means by which states have been instituted and what are their internal bonds of cohesion. In the first place it is clear that the individual finds in other men a more useful and effective defence against the evils that human depravity threatens to inflict on him than in fortifications, weapons or dumb animals; and since a man's power is of limited extent, it was necessary for him to combine with other men to achieve that end.

2. It is equally obvious that a combination of two or three cannot provide that kind of security against other men. For it is easy for enough persons to conspire to overcome these few as would give them full assurance of victory; and their expectation of success and impunity would also give the conspirators the confidence to make the attempt. It is therefore necessary to this end, that there be a union of an overwhelming number of men so that the accession of a few to the enemy would not tip the scales towards victory for the latter.

3. Among these many individuals who come together for this purpose, there has to be a consensus on adopting means likely to achieve it. If they do not agree among themselves, but are distracted in their opinions and tend to different ends, they will achieve nothing, no matter how many they are. Alternatively, there may be a temporary agreement under the impulse of a passion, but they will soon go their separate ways, men's minds and inclinations being as changeable as they are. Though they may promise on the basis of agreement that each will bring his individual strength to the common defence, yet even this method will not provide a guarantee that the group will last. Rather, those who have once consented to peace and mutual help for the common good must be prohibited from dissenting thereafter, whenever their own private good seems to be in conflict with the public good.