Harold J. Laski: “Yet such defects must not blind us to the general rightness of their insight.”

Liberty means self-government, and self-government means the right of every man to be his own legislator.

Where mistakes are made, where there is corruption, or dishonesty, or abuse, it can be brought home forthwith to its authors.

The contract is thus not general as with Hobbes but limited and specific in character.

How could it seek security where it defied the desires of the vast majority of its subjects?