Book V: Chapter 1

BOOK V. OF THE REVENUE OF THE SOVEREIGN OR COMMONWEALTH

CHAPTER I.

OF THE EXPENSES OF THE SOVEREIGN OR COMMONWEALTH.

PART I. Of the Expense of Defence.

The first duty of the sovereign, that of protecting the society
from the violence and invasion of other independent societies,
can be performed only by means of a military force. But the
expense both of preparing this military force in time of peace,
and of employing it in time of war, is very different in the
different states of society, in the different periods of
improvement.

Among nations of hunters, the lowest and rudest state of society,
such as we find it among the native tribes of North America,
every man is a warrior, as well as a hunter. When he goes to war,
either to defend his society, or to revenge the injuries which
have been done to it by other societies, he maintains himself by
his own labour, in the same manner as when he lives at home. His
society (for in this state of things there is properly neither
sovereign nor commonwealth) is at no sort of expense, either to
prepare him for the field, or to maintain him while he is in it.

Among nations of shepherds, a more advanced state of society,
such as we find it among the Tartars and Arabs, every man is, in
the same manner, a warrior. Such nations have commonly no fixed
habitation, but live either in tents, or in a sort of covered
waggons, which are easily transported from place to place. The
whole tribe, or nation, changes its situation according to the
different seasons of the year, as well as according to other
accidents. When its herds and flocks have consumed the forage of
one part of the country, it removes to another, and from that to
a third. In the dry season, it comes down to the banks of the
rivers; in the wet season, it retires to the upper country. When
such a nation goes to war, the warriors will not trust their
herds and flocks to the feeble defence of their old men, their
women and children; and their old men, their women and children,
will not be left behind without defence, and without subsistence.
The whole nation, besides, being accustomed to a wandering life,
even in time of peace, easily takes the field in time of war.
Whether it marches as an army, or moves about as a company of
herdsmen, the way of life is nearly the same, though the object
proposed by it be very different. They all go to war together,
therefore, and everyone does as well as he can. Among the
Tartars, even the women have been frequently known to engage in
battle. If they conquer, whatever belongs to the hostile tribe is
the recompence of the victory ; but if they are vanquished, all
is lost; and not only their herds and flocks, but their women and