Passive obedience doctrine serves only the predator’s interest

Evidence

Who would not think it an admirable peace betwix the mighty and the mean, when the lamb, without resistance, yielded his throat to be torn by the imperious wolf? Polyphemus’s den gives us a perfect pattern of such a peace, and such a government, wherein Ulysses and his companions had nothing to do, but quietly to suffer themselves to be devoured. And no doubt Ulysses, who was a prudent man, preached up passive obedience, and exhorted them to a quiet submission, by representing to them of what concernment peace was to mankind; and by shewing the inconveniences might happen, if they should offer to resist Polyphemus, who had now the power over them. — John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, 285

Categorization

• SEED: The Polyphemus parable reframing passive obedience as wolf-advocacy is a strikingly modern satirical device — worth examining as a model of political rhetoric the founders absorbed.
• SHARE: For anyone teaching Locke or rhetoric of resistance: Locke ridicules prudence-as-submission by imagining Ulysses preaching quiet suffering.
• XREF: connects to: Peace purchased by submission to force is worthless — John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, 285; Oppressed people will rebel regardless of rulers’ divine claims — John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, 281