Summary Of The Second Treatise Of Government By John Locke

The Second Treatise of Government provides Locke's theorizes the individual rights and involvement with the government; he categorizes them in two areas -- natural rights theory and social contract. 1.Natural state; rights which human beings are to have before government comes into being. 2.Social contact; when conditions in natural state are unsatisfactory, and there's need to develop society into functioning of central government.

John Locke was an Enlightenment writer and a political theorist. He wrote the “Essay Concerning Human Understanding”, which helped advance the theory of self-progression through experience. He argued that a government is not formed without the consent of people who in turn obey it, meaning that the established government was formed by consenting individuals and obeyed by those consenting to it.

John Locke had more influence on the framers of the American Constitution than any other person in the world, even though he died 72 years before Thomas Jefferson even wrote the Declaration of Independence. So how was it possible that John Locke could have had such an overwhelming impact on the founders of the constitution when he wasn’t even alive? In this essay I will explain how he was able to do just that. John Locke was born in 1632 and was one of the best philosophers in England. Locke had a liberal way of thinking in that he was against having a king who ruled over everyone and everything, and not in the same sense that we think of liberalism today.

This system stems from John Locke’s theory on civil society and the extent of legislative power, stating that the civil government’s job is to protect the people’s natural rights, and he believes that the absolute monarchy he lives under does not provide that protection. Locke explains, “…(man) could never be safe nor at rest, nor think themselves in civil society, till the legislature was placed in collective bodies of men, call them senate, parliament, or what you please.” He believes that absolute monarchy places no common authority over all people; thus, by placing power in one person, the entire society deteriorates. Since the monarch can encroach on people's property and wellbeing without fear of punishment, the people lack the protection, comfort, and motivation to contribute to the good of the society. Thus, Locke clarifies that “No man in civil society can be exempted from the laws of it.” This causes the person in power to fear punishment from encroaching on people’s property or wellbeing and protects from the political domination they would be imposing if the law did not apply to them. If the person in power continued to impinge on people’s natural rights, Locke then believed that the people had the right to a revolution against their tyrannous monarch. Locke justifies this, saying “This I am sure, whoever, either ruler or subject, by force goes about to invade the rights of either prince or people, and lays the foundation for overturning the constitution and frame of any just government, is highly guilty of the greatest crime, I think, a man is capable of, being to answer for all those mischiefs of blood, rapine, and desolation, which the breaking to pieces of government bring on a country.” Locke’s basis of natural rights

John Locke was an English Philosopher in the seventeenth century that created many ideas used the American and French revolutions. In the Second Treatise, Locke argues the case for individual natural rights, limited government depending on the consent of the governed, and a separation of powers. He says that the efforts of a government are “to be directed to no other end but the peace, safety, and public good of the people” (Locke). These same principles can be seen in the founding father’s Declaration of Independence. In the second paragraph, it states that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The founding fathers took a more religious stance, but they both believe that government is designed to protect the rights of the people. The founding fathers took inspiration from many political philosophers like John Locke, especially on the point of natural

Locke and Jefferson have different ways of evaluating government than the Ayn Rand Institute. Both philosophers believe certain rights are inalienable to all of men, but when government starts to renege on its original intent, people as a whole may come together and overthrow the government. For Locke government starts with a civil association, or a group of like-minded people who want to protect themselves from the dangers that could potentially arise in the state of nature. Each individual that enters into civil society consents and the basis of authority is the determination of the people as a whole, better known as popular sovereignty. Back in Locke’s time it was commonly held that popular sovereignty would lead to chaos and frequent rebellion. In spite of this, Locke argues that popular sovereignty is the best guarantee against unwarranted rebellion since the population would collectively determine the appropriate remedy. Locke reasons that if the decision to revolt were left up to the individual that it would “unhinge and overturn all polities, and, instead of government and order, leave nothing but anarchy and confusion.” To support collectivism, Locke says as long as the society lasts the power each individual relinquished upon entering does not revert back to the individual. Therefore, even though the government has collapsed the “commonwealth [is] still preserved” and the notion of popular sovereignty remains intact. Another strong piece to add to this counterargument would be to discuss Locke’s ideas on the individual right to punish. Since there is no common authority in the state of nature, Locke holds that individuals have the right to punish those who threaten their self-preservation and individual freedom. However prior to entering a civil association, individuals forfeit their right to punish and confer it upon the government. Therefore, the use of individual rights and

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 Chapter 2 of John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government, Locke discusses man’s natural state in relation to government. He claims that in order “[t]o understand political power [...] we must consider, what state all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom (emphasis added) to order their actions” (Locke Second Treatise of Government, Sec. 4). But Locke immediately follows this statement by saying that people may act “as they think fit,” but “within the bounds of the law of nature” (Locke Sec. 4). There is a clear inconsistency in Locke’s diction: he claims that men naturally have absolute freedom, but then says that this freedom is limited by nature itself. What exactly is Locke implying when he refers to “nature”? Is it the nature of the Earth, or could it be Locke be referring to a Biblical nature? Either way, if men are bound by “the law of

He studied medicine and natural philosophy. Locke writing has impact so many philosophers like Rousseau, Voltaire and much more. He is often regarded as the founder of a school of thought known as British Empiricism, and he made foundational contributions to modern theories of limited, liberal government (Connolly J. Patrick, 2002). Locke was important in theology, religious toleration, and educational theory. John Locke was the

In John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government, Locke discusses a lot of important topics. The topics discussed are the state of nature, common wealth, a civil society, equality of men, and much more. In my writing, I will be discussing a few of these topics. I will be explaining how John Locke’s account of the state of nature set up and support his argument for a liberal political structure of civil society. John Locke begins the Second Treatise of Government by discussing the state of nature.

Locke pursues the idea that we are born with the choice to adhere to a government, and also the extent to which the government can interfere. Since power is only legitimate with consent, the laws are the same. People cannot be “bound by any laws but such as are enacted by those whom they have chosen and authorized to make laws for them.” (pg 66) Absolute monarchs are not appointed by the citizens, but instead inherit their position.

John Locke laid out a series of principles in his Two Treatises on Government, stating that men are naturally free and equal and able to

Locke states that the dissolution of the government can be completed if the officials overstep the trust placed in them. Locke also believes that if an official passes a law the people who appointed them did not wish for them to pass, then they are ruling without authority. If a government fails to enforce laws in society or uses force without rights, then the people are able to create a new legislative power.

John Locke was perhaps one of the most influential political philosophers of the modern period. In the Second Treatise of Government, John Locke discusses the move from a state of nature and perfect freedom to a then governed society in which authority is given to a legislative and executive power. His major ideas included liberalism and capitalism, state of nature, state of war and the desire to protect one’s property.

John Locke was an English writer, and his writings were based on the events that took place during the Glorious Revolution in England in 1689, when the people of England overthrew King James II. John Locke was interestingly enough, brought up in a loyalist and Evangelical family. He was born to a very wealthy family, and received much prestige in Oxford for his connections to the higher ups. Locke presented his ideas of rebellion during the English civil war which took place in the mid-1600s, in favor of the revolts against the King’s rule in England at the time. John Locke graduated with a degree in medicine from Oxford University.