How Does Locke Enforce The State Of Nature

Locke’s thought on having a king, laws, and a civil society under a social contract was so all men can enjoy and protect their rights. Where all men obtain the right to life, all humans have the right to live and life shouldn't be taken away from another human being. The right to liberty, protecting an individual's freedom and unreasonable detention. The right to property, a citizen in which Locke thought a human's labour was his own, anything created or made should remain that individuals as well and the right to rebel against unjust rulers and laws.

The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges every one: and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions (Locke, Ch. 2, Section 6).

This is due to the fact that man is formed by God, thus man is sacred. Anyone who transgresses this law must be judged and punished by all other men as every man has this right. This punishment must be suitable to the transgression. Though Locke also states that any transgression may be punishable by death, even minor infringements. Furthermore, Locke’s view of the state of nature revolves around property. Not only are men equal in terms of strength and authority, but also have equal access to everything on this Earth. This is because Locke views that God has given the Earth to man in order to preserve himself. Thus man puts labour into the land. Through labour, man may own the property as long as it satisfies his needs, does not go to waste and there is enough for all. Consent is not necessary either – Locke believes this would hinder some people, leading them to die of starvation. Locke also points out that not everyone may follow the law of nature, thus in this state of nature, man is still unable to fully enjoy the bounty God has give to them. The Lockean view of the state of nature appears to be more persuasive than the other two theorist discussed as it does not fall into the trap of over simplifying human beings. It also gives into account those who may break the natural law -

In the region, some of the people act in their own interest and not taking into consideration of the society. He says that this will lead to war among countries and there will be no morality in the society. There will be fear among the people and this is not a free way to live in a society. People should give up violence so that a free way to live will be present in the society. John Locke says that the law will be enforced on its own, in order to control violence and have an organised society. In such an act the safety and security will be guaranteed. By doing so the entire population is benefited and protected. His main view is that law and order is imposed on its own people so that war is

“All men are naturally born in a state of perfect freedom, equal and independence to act how they want to. The state of nature has a law that governs it. This law of nature requires that no one should harm another in his natural rights life, liberty,and property.” John Locke said that all people are born with rights and that we should work together to keep our rights.

It is also relevant to point out that under Locke’s theory all men are created equal in the sense that we all are entitled to these rights (life, liberty, and property), and this is also the case with the rights of the Declaration of Independence (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness). Because humans are born with these universal rights, Locke argued that a universal standard of morality was present even during the “State of Nature”.

Locke feels that this system of government is lacking in that the ruler has all control, and may not be stopped in abuses of power, which Locke fears. Humans beings decide to form a society out of the state of nature because there must be unity among men in order to protect one another, and so that they may punish offenders of the justice. Men do this under the rule of an indivdual who is selected by the people, and to whom the people give up some of their personal rights.Though humans give up certain rights to the chosen authoriy, they are entitled to certain rights reserved to them alone, which they hold within the society. All members of the society should be equal under the law of justice, and that no man is better than another, since all men are created equal, and all are equal before the laws of nature. The law of nature states that people attain property through the labour they do.The ruler or authority over a society should be an indivdual

In that vein, there exists natural competition between men over food and other necessities, and although the stronger may yield temporary power over the weaker in an individual situation, the power is neither absolute nor permanent. All men have both a responsibility and a right to enforce the law of nature, and therefore punish those who break it. “That in the State of Nature, every one has the Executive Power of the Law of Nature.” (Locke, Second Treatise, II.13). Equality is maintained.

According to Locke, the state of war occurs because of destruction and enmity, which results from the perfect freedom and liberty found in the state of nature. This idea is similar to Hobbes’ reasons for the state of war, yet, Locke believes that it also occurs because of the “presence of a common authority that fails to act justly, the only possible state is a state of war, because the arbitrating power in place to stop war is itself in violation of the laws of nature and justice.” However, Locke’s law of nature that governs this state goes against Hobbes’ idea of self-preservation, because it does not allow for man to harm another’s life, liberty, health or possessions. This natural law is based on the idea that every man may be free in the state of nature, but everything belongs to one omnipotent power, “the Maker”. This natural law aids in the peace and preservation of all mankind, and is a responsibility that is given to every man and along with that the authority to punish transgressors of this law. This is another natural right of man, but it is one that could never be truly enforced in the state of nature. Since Locke established that all men are created equal by the same omnipotent power, he is also saying that no one man has the power to

In refutation to Locke’s state of nature argument, we can look towards Hobbes, Rousseau, and Mill to provide us with insightful objections. It can be claimed that first society should not have the right to self-determination but instead the right to self preserve, that property rights are social institutions and not inherent natural rights, and finally that not everyone in society is guaranteed property rights.

John Locke linked human behavior with our nature. He argued in his works that men are governed and guided by the rules within our nature. “The state of Nature has a law of Nature to govern it, which obliges every one, and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions.” (2nd Treatise.6) Even without any manmade laws that specifically guide us what and how to do a certain thing, we are programmed to follow basic rules mutually understood by every human on Earth. Locke brought up that these rules discourage, in fundamental, people from gaining power by depriving that of others. He noticed, by specifically employing the word mankind, that the ability to accept and live by this rudimentary rule is the ultimate characteristic that makes us who we are. It is the ability to respect other’s

Locke’s have developed different views on human nature. He states, that all the men should have natural right to get private property and protection should a top priority of the government. Locke’s powerful quotes states that the men should have the right to life, liberty and property. He depends on human reason to give citizens their freedom and their right to protect it. This freedom is the foundation of the individual’s way of life and their human rights. A threat to an individual’s freedom can be extended to be a threat to many other aspects of the individual to take away their freedom. One of the Locke’s quote states, “Master and servant are names as old as history, but

In the second treatise Locke states that "The state of Nature has a Law of Nature to govern it, which obliges every one: And Reason, which is that Law, teaches all Mankind, who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his Life, Health, Liberty, or possession. For men being all the Workmanship of one Omnipotent, and infinitely wise Maker" (Locke 271) Locke argues that God created mankind and all men adhered to natural laws through reasoning

No man has any jurisdiction over any other and each has an equal right to his Life, Liberty, and Property. Concerning life and liberty, Men are able to live their lives free from the demands of anyone else. Locke, like Hobbes, considers governments in the State of Nature with respect to each other.

Locke does, though, believe that there are some limitations to how much one individual may appropriate in the state of nature. Since he has already assumed as a natural law that all individuals have the right to their self-preservation, then the private appropriation of one individual must leave “enough and as