John Locke 's The Second Treatise Of Government

In his Second Treatise on Government Locke focus’ on liberalism & capitalism, defending the claim that men are by nature free and equal against the idea that God had made all people subject to a king. He argued that people have ‘natural rights’, such as the right to life, liberty, and property, that hold the foundation for the major laws of a society. He says, “…we must consider, what state all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons as they think fit.” (2nd Treatise, Chapter 2, sec 4). John Locke used this claim, that all men were naturally free and equal, for understanding the idea of a government as a result of a social contract. This is where people in the state of nature transfer some of their rights to the government in order to better guarantee the steady and comfortable enjoyment of their lives, liberty, and property.

Mankind has been fighting for Liberty and Freedom for as long as we can remember. Liberty and freedom has been a topic which has been debated for many decades. What does it mean to be free , and how far can we go to strive for freedom. These important questions have been answered and studied by two of the greatest English philosophers, John Locke and John Stuart Mill. Locke and Mill men will attempt to uncover the mysteries of Liberty and Freedom and unveil the importance of being free. This essay will look at John Locke’s principle works” Second Treatise of government” and John Stuart Mills. “ On Liberty and Other Essays”. This essay will attempt to compare and contrast Lockes ideology on Liberty and Freedom to that of Mill.

While reading the “The Second Treatise of Government,” you can notice and see that John Locke has a strong standing for civil rights as well as helping with the development of the Constitution of the United States. He states that the “consent of the governed,” is basically saying that communities are not put together by the divine right or ruled by. Paternal, familial, and political are types of powers that John Locke mentions that have all have unlike characteristics. He inspired others to believe in and want equal rights and democracy. John Locke talks about the state of nature, which basically states that no one has the power to be ruler of someone, as well as they are able to do what they want in a freely matter. In other words people are born just like anyone else that is born, and should have equally rights to property, health, and liberty, and that no one should have the power over anyone. Everyone should be able to live and enjoy his or her own freedom and wellbeing. However, the state of nature is not a guarantee to have natural laws, which could help with the protecting of one’s property. According to him having your own personal freedom was the true meaning of state of nature. John Locke thought that people were following his faith in human rationality through the declaration of Locke. John Locke states that if the government takes away from others for them to empower them then the people have right and opportunity to go against

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”.

He proclaims that all men are born of the same state, but God gives privileges to certain individuals. These privileges are what rank one race, religion, culture, and gender over another. However, Locke believes respect should be given to every other man’s lives, health, liberty, and possessions (68, Ward). In Locke’s state of nature there is no government, but rather every man implements punishment accordingly to the crime committed (eg. Murder is solved by killing the murder). On the contrary, Locke’s state of nature lacked laws for men to abide by, judges to mandate disputes, and the power to execute a law or enforce a sentence within

Locke’s political philosophy, specifically that which concerns the definition of property, how that property is acquired, and the role it plays in society, prove to be quintessential to the development of liberalism. Locke’s philosophy and the basis of liberalism encompasses ideas of sovereignty and rejects contrary phenomena such as absolute monarchy and Divine Right of Kings. It is even said that the Second Treatise of Government is a critique of King James II and an allusion to his exploitation of England’s citizens. Furthermore, it is Locke’s theory of property that proves to serve a central role in that it revolutionized the concept of property that created a shift in the political thought of those in England during the late 17th Century.

As Americans, many of us have heard of the saying, “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” (Graham). It is easy to take for granted (many of us have no idea that John Locke is credited for this idea) but most of the world does not share this simple but powerful philosophy. However, to an English nation in chaos between their Parliament and their monarch, Locke’s philosophies created a balance that would have both sides becoming winners and set the stage for human rights as well as the capability of a tiny island to become a dominant world power.

Locke continuously refers to the laws of nature. He also mentions the state of nature quite often. The state of nature seems to be when man has the rights from the laws of nature. Natural law states that all people have certain rights exist just because of human nature itself, meaning all men are created equal. Laws of man are laws made by people to govern civil society.

Locke’s righteous take on government ignited, and his influence can be found all over Europe and the new world for thousands of years, right up to the contemporary. England’s constitutional monarchy and limited government practice perfectly framed a Lockean ideal and began the epicenter for liberal schools of thought and

To explain this deeper, Locke believes that all men are born free of any sort of government, ruler or law. The “laws of nature” are rules that have been established naturally as a result of people’s attempt at stabilizing a moral path. A man being born free applies to politics and society because the government has the right to tell a man what to do through a set of laws if he does not want to do it. Locke also mentions how people live in “a state of equality in which no-one has more power and authority than anyone else” (Locke 3). With this quote, Locke wants people to know that everyone is born equal in terms of “abilities” (Locke 4) and being made by the same maker, God (Locke 4). Being equal emphasizes and reinforces the first example because if we are all made the same way and are capable of the same abilities, then people cannot rule over others and humans have the option to obey the laws set by the government. Locke applies his views on human nature to the construction of the government by saying, “The only way anyone can strip off his natural liberty and clothe himself in the bonds of civil society is for him to agree with other men to unite into a community, so as to live together comfortably, safely, and peaceably, in a secure enjoyment of their properties and a greater security against outsiders” (Locke 32). Locke expects that the formation of the government should be decided

John Locke believes there is a natural law, a moral standard that is intrinsic in the origin of human nature. Humans, being basically good by nature, are born equal and free, with out the ties of government. Because humans were in essence good, there was no need of a government. However, as time passed, the need for the benefits of civility became necessary. It is at this point that people agree to leave the state of nature, and thereby give up their absolute freedom. Locke focuses mainly on the lack of any natural moral authority of one person over another. No one is born master, or captain, or chief, of any other

Political philosophers over time have developed their own conceptions of liberty and the relationship of individuals to not only society, but also the state. Political philosophers such as, Aristotle and Plato have more of an ancient conception of liberty and the role the individual plays in society and to the state. Whereas, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and John Stuart Mill have developed a more modernized conception of liberty and the role of the individual to the state and society. Plato’s work the Republic, and Aristotle’s works of literature Nicomachean Ethics, and Politics will be contrasted against Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan, John Locke’s Second Treatise, and John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty. The literature works of the political philosophers mentioned previously will help convey the differences and similarities of liberty and the role of the individual to society.

Political Philosophers over time have developed their own conceptions of liberty and the relationship of individuals to not only society, but also the state. Political Philosophers such as, Aristotle and Plato have more of an ancient conception of liberty and the role the individual plays in society and to the state. Whereas, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and John Stuart Mill have developed a more modernized conception of liberty and the role of the individual to the state and society. Plato’s work the Republic, and Aristotle’s works of literature Nicomachean Ethics, and Politics will be contrasted against Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan, John Locke’s Second Treatise, and John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty. The literature works of the Political Philosophers mentioned previously will help convey the differences and similarities of liberty and the role of the individual to society.

The classical theory of the law of nature and the social treaty of John Locke can be found in the fundamentals of the modern, especially in the Anglo-Saxon, governmental institutions. This work of his exceeds the borders of one particular historical political event. Locke’s political theory is a classical example of a normative doctrine that leaves Aristotle’s famous separation between the theoretical and practical disciplines and connects politics with ethics on the principles upon which law is established on. Generally, Locke’s political theory is often connected with the term liberalism. That liberalism of this famous Englishman is not mainly about economics, especially not in that practical thought where everyone can freely take as much as they please to. Locke’s liberalism is eminently civil; he primary leans are on the freedom and the sovereignty of the individual.

A core aspect of the modern state concerns the concept of property. Whether property encompasses objects, land, or even ideas, we have laws to define the process by which we can justly gain ownership of certain things and to give us security once we hold this property, and a judicial system to punish those who don’t abide by the rules. But to what extent do we have a right to property, and how do we justly obtain it? The British philosopher John Locke (1632-1704) argues that the origins of private property are to be found in how we use our labour to appropriate things to ourselves. Private property, for Locke, is pre-political in the sense that it exist prior to the creation of the state – it is a natural right, not by convention. However,