 On a more positive note, Grotius’ recognition of the transferability of rights led him to a novel solution for one of the great problems of political philosophy. What is the source of the state’s right or power? Two traditional answers were (1) God—he set up the state and it derives its authority from his sanction—and (2) might—because the state is powerful, it has the authority to govern, for might makes right. While Grotius flirts with both of these, he finally settled for something else. He writes in the DIP,