John Locke's Second Treatise Of Government

John Locke liked freedom, he thought that freedom was good for the government. “...(W)e must consider, what state all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose [manage] of their possessions and persons, as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature….” (Doc A) This states that Locke wants freedom but their comes consequences. To have this freedom men needed to create a government with a legislature and an executive. Locke’s main idea was people had rights.

The philosopher, John Locke believed that people should have governmental freedoms. Locke stated, “should also be equal one among another without subordination or subjection”(DocA), meaning that nature created all people equally and that the government should not downgrade people. Locke wanted people to have the freedom to have any chance at a governmental position, because nature created all people equally. He believed that if a new government was necessary that people have the right to create a new government, “they have not only a right to get out of [a failed government], but to prevent it”(DocA). Locke also believed that all people are born equal and that society has the freedom to change the government in question.

Their thoughts on human nature tell us that we do need government for our own well-being and so that we have stability. Locke's philosophical ideas are better represented in Robinson Crusoe. In the novel, Defoe expresses the

John Locke believed in the state of nature and the dissolution of government. Locke states “When the government is dissolved,the people are at liberty to provide for themselves by erecting a new legislative.” In the quote above John Locke is saying that people are responsible enough to govern themselves without being judged.

John Locke argued for individual freedom. If we had individual freedom we would have a strong government. Locke said it was necessary to a good government. Locke wrote “People are naturally free and have the right to maintain their freedom.”(Document A) To keep this freedom people needed to construct a government that has both an executive and a legislature. To Locke a government created by the people was the best government in his futuristic sense of

Locke believed that men essentially were governed by the laws of nature that God created and that the government should reflect in such a

John Locke was an english philosopher who expressed his idea of civil governments. In the documents, John Locke expresses the idea on what a civil government is formed by. John Locke describes the beginning steps to achieving a political power which is the law of nature. In the law of nature, Locke expresses how men are all free to do as they please without the consent of another man. “We must consider what estate all men are naturally in, and this is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons as they think fit, within the bounds of law of Nature, without asking leave of depending upon the will of any other man” (Documents 81)

Locke defended the belief that individuals are born with natural rights to life, liberty, and property in the “Two Treatises of Government” and used it to support the idea of a social contract between the people and the authority. He believed that to maintain a stable and safe society, the people should resign some of its power to its government. Since the legitimacy of the ruler is assigned by the governed they have the right to replace the government if it fails to protect the welfare of the people. His radical thinking ignited revolutionary thoughts that led to the American Revolution and consequentially to the French Revolution. He inspired the founding fathers to create the United States of America, a government based on Locke’s political philosophies like the inalienable rights to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness in the Declaration of Independence or the concept of three branches of government that would keep each other balanced in the

He believed the people were given divine rights to life, liberty and property. These right were ordained in the garden by God and passed down from Adam to all people. Locke believed the people did need a government, just like Hobbs, but government needed to be limited. The only role for government was to ensure the natural rights of the people. He also believed that the people had the right to revolt if the government failed to support the natural rights of the people. His beliefs in the role of government were influence by the Glorious revolution in 1688-1689 . This was a bloodless confrontation resulted in the oursing of James II and the establishment of Willam III and Mary II. Locke saw how the rules of government played out in a peacable

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

Locke believed that people are willing to unite under a form of government to preserve their lives, liberty, and estate. Since natural law is already good, government not only preserves natural law, but also works to enhance it.

Locke also felt that people could be trusted enough to govern themselves. Locke felt that people could make the right decisions when given the correct information. Locke believed that people had the right to rebel against an offensive government. Locke believed that the government should also

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

John Locke was been one of Americas most significant figures who influence how the country’s political system works today. Locke redefined the whole nature of the government, his views were similar to Thomas Hobbes’ ideas (Hobbes concluded that people are incapable of ruling themselves because it’s in our nature to self-centered not need to a strong leader to control us), however Locke was more optimistic about people’s ability to reason to help avoid tyranny. In Locke’s Second Treatise of Government he identified the basis to a reasonable government. According to Locke a ruler should gain their authority by the people who will be governed because the duty of the government is to protect the natural rights its people (life, liberty, and property), and said that if the government failed to protect these rights, the people should have the right to overthrow its government. These ideas greatly influence Thomas Jefferson when writing the Declaration of Independence. Federalism has also greatly impacted the political system in the United States because it’s the relationship between the authority and people. There are many ways the government can be divided. For example, a cooperative federalism is when the federal government governs unlimitedly and forces lower governments to supervise and enforce national

In the wake of political turmoil in England, Locke asserted the right of a people to change a government that did not protect natural rights of life, liberty and property. [8]