1. The people have in fact united themselves by their common will
into a society, which has to be perpetually maintained; and for this
purpose they have subjected themselves to the internal power of the
state, in order to preserve the members of this society even when they
are not able to support themselves. By the fundamental principle of
the state, the government is justified and entitled to compel those
who are able, to furnish the means necessary to preserve those who are
not themselves capable of providing for the most necessary wants of
nature. For the existence of persons with property in the state
implies their submission under it for protection and the provision
by the state of what is necessary for their existence; and accordingly
the state founds a right upon an obligation on their part to
contribute of their means for the preservation of their fellow
citizens. This may be carried out by taxing the property or the
commercial industry of the citizens, or by establishing funds and
drawing interest from them, not for the wants of the state as such,
which is rich, but for those of the people. And this is not to be done
merely by voluntary contributions, but by compulsory exactions as
state-burdens, for we are here considering only the right of the state
in relation to the people.
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