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John Locke's Two Treatises Of Government

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John Locke’s Two Treatises of Government is divided into two parts. The first treatise is a critic of Sir Robert Filmer’s Patriarcha, while the second describes the state of nature, an extensive discussion on property, commonwealth, and the right of the people to revolt. The first treatise, which I shall first summarize, criticizes Sir Robert Filmer’s Patriarcha, which argues in support of the divine right of kings. It stands, according to its author, on the following premise: 1.That all government is absolute monarchy, and; 2.That no man is born free. A summary on The False Principles, and Foundation of Sir Robert Filmer, and His Followers, Are Detected and Overthrown To further understand the first treatise, I shall write down a few …show more content…

Locke answers that throughout Filmer’s treatise, he has not written a single thing to support this claim of power placed on the shoulders of Adam. In Chapter III, Of Adam’s Title to Sovereignty by Creation, Locke refutes Sir Filmer’s claim that Adam, as soon as he was created, by appointment of God, became monarch of the whole world. Locke refutes this, saying that this could not happen because; a. the original grant of government which happened after the fall, was a long time distant from the creation, b. if he was truly appointed by God before creation, how then can he be monarch if there were still no other men besides him? In Chapter IV, Of Adam’s Title to Sovereignty, by Donation, Locke refutes sir Filmer’s claim that Adam, by donation of God, quoting scripture “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth,” Gen. i. 28, became sovereign ruler of all the men in the world. Locke refutes this, saying that Adam was not given immediate power over other men, his children, or over his own species. He also adds that the grant made by God did not give him private …show more content…

Locke answers that this creates a dilemma; as sons eventually become fathers, and a son having a father, Locke argues that a person cannot be a slave and be a prince at the same

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