Chapter XVI.  Rights belonging to society as against the individual.  The perfect rights of society are such as the following:—­(1) To prevent suicide; (2) To require the producing and rearing of offspring, at least so far as to tax and discourage bachelors; (3) To compel men, though not without compensation, to divulge useful inventions; (4) To compel to some industry, &c.

Chapter XVII. takes up some cases where the ordinary rights of property or person are set aside by some overbearing necessity.

Chapter XVIII.  The way of deciding controversies in a state of nature by arbitration.

Book III.—­Civil Polity, embracing Domestic and Civil Rights.

Chapter I. Marriage.  Hutcheson considers that Marriage should be a perpetual union upon equal terms, ’and not such a one wherein the one party stipulates to himself a right of governing in all domestic affairs, and the other promises subjection.’  He would allow divorce for adultery, desertion, or implacable enmity on either side.  Upon defect of children, some sort of concubinage would be preferable to divorce, but leaving to the woman the option of divorce with compensation.  He notices the misrepresentations regarding Plato’s scheme of a community of wives; ’Never was there in any plan less provision made for sensual gratification.’

Chapter II.  The Rights and Duties of Parents and Children.

Chapter III.  The Rights and Duties of Masters and Servants.

Chapter IV. discusses the Motives to constitute Civil Government.  If men were perfectly wise and upright, there would be no need for government.  Man is naturally sociable and political [Greek:  xon politikon].

Chapter V. shows that the natural method of constituting civil government is by consent or social compact.

Chapter VI.  The Forms of Government, with their respective advantages and disadvantages.

Chapter VII.  How far the Rights of Governors extend.  Their lives are more sacred than the lives of private persons; but they may nevertheless be lawfully resisted, and, in certain cases, put to death.

Chapter VIII.  The ways of acquiring supreme Power.  That government has most divine right that is best adapted to the public good:  a divine right of succession to civil offices is ridiculous.

Chapter IX. takes up the sphere of civil law. (1) To enforce the laws of nature; (2) To appoint the form &c., of contracts and dispositions, with a view to prevent fraud; (3) To require men to follow the most prudent methods of agriculture, manufactures, and commerce; (4) To prescribe rules in matters morally indifferent, where uniformity is advantageous.  Opinions should be tolerated; all except Atheism, and the denial of moral obligation.

Chapter X. The Laws of Peace and War, belonging now to the subject of International Law.

Chapter XI. (concluding the work) discusses some cases connected with the duration of the ‘Politick Union.’