ct that two
commonwealths are naturally enemies. For men in the state of Nature are
enemies. Those, then, who stand outside a commonwealth, and retain
their natural rights, continue enemies. Accordingly, if one commonwealth
wishes to make war on another and employ extreme measures to make that
other dependent on itself, it may lawfully make the attempt, since it
needs but the bare will of the commonwealth for war to be waged. But
concerning peace it can decide nothing, save with the concurrence of
another commonwealth's will. When it follows that laws of war regard
every commonwealth by itself, but laws of peace regard not one, but at
the least two commonwealths, which are therefore called "contracting
parties."

This "contract" remains so long unmoved as the motive for entering into
it, that is, fear of hurt or hope of gain, subsists. But take away from
either commonwealth this hope or fear, and it is left independent, and
the link, whereby the commonwealths were mutually bound, breaks of
itself. And therefore every commonwealth has the right to break its
contract, whenever it chooses, and cannot be said to act treacherously
or perfidiously in breaking its word, as soon as the motive of hope or
fear is removed. For every contracting party was on equal terms in this
respect, that whichever could first free itself of fear should be
independent, and make use of its independence after its own mind; and,
besides, no one makes a contract respecting the future, but on the
hypothesis of certain precedent circumstances. But when these
circumstances change, the reason of policy applicable to the whole
position changes with them; and therefore every one of the contracting
commonwealths retains the right of consulting its own interest, and
consequently endeavors, as far as possible, to be free from fear and
thereby independent, and to prevent another from coming out of the
contract with greater power. If then a commonwealth complains that it
has been deceived, it cannot properly blame the bad faith of another
contracting commonwealth, but only its own folly in having entrusted its
own welfare to another party, that was independent, and had for its
highest law the welfare of its own dominion.

To commonwealths, which have contracted a treaty of peace, it belongs to
decide the questions which may be mooted about the terms or rules of
peace, whereby they have mutually bound themselves, inasmuch as laws of
peace regard not one commo