Despotical power arises only from forfeiture in war, never from compact

Evidence

Thirdly, Despotical power is an absolute, arbitrary power one man has over another, to take away his life, whenever he pleases. This is a power, which neither nature gives, for it has made no such distinction between one man and another; nor compact can convey: for man not having such an arbitrary power over his own life, cannot give another man such a power over it; but it is the effect only of forfeiture, which the aggressor makes of his own life, when he puts himself into the state of war with another … And thus captives, taken in a just and lawful war, and such only, are subject to a despotical power, which, as it arises not from compact, so neither is it capable of any, but is the state of war continued: for what compact can be made with a man that is not master of his own life? — John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, 209

Categorization

• XREF: Directly underpins the Declaration’s charge that George III attempted to reduce colonists to ‘absolute despotism,’ and that Americans as captives resisting an unjust war retain natural right. — connects to: The state of nature and state of war are distinct conditions — John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, 27; Perverted justice under legal forms still constitutes a state of war — John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, 28
• DEFINE: Locke’s precise definition of despotical power as distinct from political and paternal, and the load-bearing claim that it cannot be compacted.