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John Locke Nature Of State

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Recommended: Summarize John Locke’s theories on the “State of Nature”

Nature of the State

1. Locke stated that self-preservation and freedom (Liberty) are limited by the laws of nature.
2. He started in the first couple chapters the state of nature that every man has the right to prosecute in order to keep the laws of nature in tact.
3. Locke tried to elaborate on that there should be no state of equality so that no person shall hold power over one another.

War or Defense

1. Locke starts off by defining war as a state of brought about by one person's pre meditated attempts upon another's life.
2. It seemed to me that Locke believed in the idea of self-preservation for the prosperity of human nature, this means that when someone is violating the law of nature then war is or can be inevitable.
3. Locke …show more content…

This is due to his beliefs on individual property, slavery, and the nature of the state. Locke talked about in the beginning chapters about the nature of the state. He stated that the nature of the state is in subordination with individual’s liberty and equality. He made a point in stating that self-preservation is important in the state of nature but the state of nature limits freedom since it is not license. A point he made with self preservation is that when an individual is threatened or has someone take an attempt at their lives that the laws of nature and self preservation grant him the option to take his live or punish him accordingly, which also could lead to enslaving the individual in order to preserve ones …show more content…

The state of war can be simplified by thinking that when someone violates the sate of nature the state of war is predominant. Locke does not believe necessarily in war but, only and as long as it breaks the laws of nature or self preservation. In my opinion, I believe that Locke’s idea of self preservation and the law of nature affecting acts of war is justified by the old notion, “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”, if someone hurts me I then can hurt them. This also is a good point with slavery. If an individual try’s to hurt or affect me negatively and they are caught then you have the right to enslave them. In slavery their can be contracts according to Locke. If the charged individual states that he will give up his right to kill the prosecutor then they can be in contract that they will not necessarily be

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