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Single Idea 24379

[catalogued under 25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 3. Welfare provision]

Full Idea

Sovereigns are not obliged to maintain their subjects, though, exceptionally, charity requires them to take particular care of those who cannot support themselves because of some undeserved misfortune.

Gist of Idea

Sovereigns need only maintain subjects who (undeservingly) cannot support themselves

Source

Samuel Pufendorf (On the Duty of Man and Citizen [1673], II.11)

A Reaction

In Anglo-Saxon England lords seem to have fully maintained their followers, perhaps because they owned all the food and housing. Plenty of scope here to debate the meaning of 'cannot' and 'undeserved'!

Book Reference

Pufendorf,Samuel: 'On the Duty of Man and Citizen' [CUP 1991], p.153