JB/015/306/001

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155

Allegiance is vagueness itself – unless the special subject be shewn &
then it is effective benevolence on the largest scale, provided the object
of allegiance is conformable to the greatest happiness principle. All depends on the form character of that government for which allegiance is claimed. Allegiance may be an obvious
virtue – it may be a very pernicious crime. A good government is
that in which the powers of power influence is placed in the hands of those who are
interested in the exercise of beneficent benevolent power. Allegiance
is a term employed instead of obedience. Obedience is good when
the government is good – bad when the government is bad. Opposition
to institutions friendly to human happiness is vice proportioned to
the amount of their excellence. Opposition to institutions unfriendly to
human happiness is virtue proportioned to the amount of their
mischief. So far, at least, is the teaching of effective benevolence
but if the sacrifice made to overthrow bad governments exceeds the
chances of good to be produced by their overthrow – then virtue demands
abstention. No case can be conceived in which virtue would allow the dictates of self
regarding interest should demand the to attempt the overthrow overthrow of good institutions
– "for the amount of evil with which others would be visited would so
completely absorb the amount of good which the individual could
obtain for himself.

Identifier: | JB/015/306/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 15.
Date_1		Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	015	Main Headings	deontology
Folio number	306	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f155
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks	j & m mills 1828
Marginals		Paper Producer	john fraunceis gwyn
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year	1828
Notes public		ID Number	5522
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