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The Influence Of John Locke's Second Treatise On Government

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John Locke’s Second Treatise on government’s responsibility to its citizens educates on the importance of a strong government. It details on how to go about getting one, maintaining one, and grooming the people for one. Locke also touches on the importance of a continual ruling style and the difficulties of change for the governed people. A balanced government establishes legislative power, governs by declaring laws, and keeps power where the people want it as each country needs a strong foundation. According to Locke, a strong foundation starts with constructing a stable legislature. It is the job of the government to maintain the “...preservation of the society, and… of every person in it” (Locke, Chapter XI). Locke refers to it as a house, if one does not have a stable foundation, then the house and all of its materials will crumble, but if one has a strong foundation and adequate materials then the house will be strong. Also, as he states in Chapter eight, the consent of the people is needed to establish a legislative power. …show more content…

If they are not “...then mankind will be in a far worse condition than in the state of nature…” (Locke, Chapter XI). If the people so think that the laws are not just or fair, then they will not obey them, which will lead to the unwinding of the country’s foundation. It will keep rulers within their boundaries of what is just and right as they will not be tempted to change the laws for their personal gain. And if there is a question of whether the law is well received, Locke believes that it is at the mercy of God to decide in controversies between

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According to Locke, the legislative power is the most important part of the government. Locke claims that their first rule is to preserve the society. The legislative body’s power and authority comes from the consent of the governed

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Locke’s foundation for all his assertions on liberty is “that creatures of the same species and rank, promiscuously born to all the same advantages of nature, and the use of the same faculties, should be also equal” (Locke 8). With this comes “natural liberty” which Locke defines as “to be free from any superior power on earth,…to have only the law of nature for his rule” (Locke 17). The state of nature is something that all men are born into, but must leave to gain both stability and law because in the state of nature, as Locke write above, nature is the only force that rules man. Once one leaves the state of nature a shift is seen; now, “the liberty of man, in society, is to be under no other legislative power, but, that established, by consent” (Locke 17). Locke equates the “law of Nature” as being related to the “law of God” and it is here where Locke’s argument can be seen as divinely ordained, in the same way Louis XIV’s rule was vested in God’s power (Locke 7).

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Some people are against organ donation in this world because there’s people waiting for a transplant. A man kills his wife, equalled up to fifteen stabs (Schlessinger). Then, he was rushed to the hospital to get a transplant because he tried to commit suicide by drinking rat poison (Schlessinger). Passing two thousand people on the New York transplant list and gets an organ before anyone else on the waiting list (Schlessinger). That whole situation is that he should’ve been at the end of the waiting list and waited like everyone else had to, but in my mind is that they only cared if he was gonna die or live.

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If man is subjected to selfishness through human nature, and man runs government, than wouldn’t it be true that government can become a pit of greediness and self-indulgence? This is why both Locke and Madison favored and praised the ideas of checks and balances and the people being able to rid those in leading positions who they did not see fit in serving them. Both Locke and Madison agreed with the government being available for the people, to help the people but also

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John Locke asserted that government must come from the consent of the governed. The Declaration of Independence professed the right of all people to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Constitution cemented the paramount prominence of general welfare for all United States citizens. Since our beginning, we the people have been a characteristically empathetic majority. But we have not always been a beacon of equality: the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, the Stonewall Riots, and even current conflicts between the police force and black Americans exemplify the occasional rift between the government and the governed.

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New England was fed up with the Church of England and the Puritans wanted to recreate their own religion which they thought was more what God had believed was the intended belief. They both decided that neither of them like the way England was set up and said that England was no good for their beliefs. They planned to leave England and go to the new world to set up a life where their children had the chance to be raised in a perfect society with no corruption. Concentrated on town life and industries, they made a living off of fishing, whaling and shipbuilding. Whale oil was key because it made their lamps.

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In his Second Treatise of Government, Locke revealed his interests in new science, developing theories of education and knowledge (SMW, 34). One of the main points in his Treatise is that of the law of nature, where all men are in natural state of perfect freedom (SMW, 34). Locke argues, “Men being…by nature all free, equal, and independent,

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As Thomas Jefferson stated in the Declaration of Independence, “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed” by stating this he’s saying no matter how powerful our government is it is still his job to protect our inalienable rights. The next topic that John Locke said impacted the Declaration of Independence was about if our government didn’t do its job to protect those rights he shouldn't be in our government. Another reason for the government is to put a stop to anything that is blocking people from their rights. As John Locke said in his Second Treatise of government “Society created order and grants the state its [purpose]… the only important role of the state is to ensure that justice is seen to be done”. The conclusion of this is that government is there to protect you, your rights, and

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The philosophe, John Locke, believed that individual freedom would create a much better government. Locke argued that are free in a state of nature and that they have the right to preserve that freedom. The easiest way to do that is to create a legislative branch that makes the laws. To also make an executive branch that carries out those laws (Doc A). If the government is failing them, they have the right to prevent that failure.

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Failure to establish an appropriate government for a country's circumstances can cause a revolution. If the government's system does not serve the needs of the people, the people may revolt and demand change. John Locke's "Two Treatises on Government" supports the idea that "all men should be equal and independent, [and] no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions. " In a substantial government, everyone should be treated equally and responsible for their possessions. However, under a monarchy, not everyone is equal, and the government may restrict their power.

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The Declaration of Independence states, “--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”. In the article Why Government, it states, “But Locke also believed that governments should protect people’s natural rights.” Both of these quotes show that the purpose for creating government, is so that the protection of the natural rights of the people is ensured. Also, the idea that these fair powers are just what Men (human beings) are receiving and what they should receive from the creation of governments. Both of these quotes combine with each other, because of the pinpointed idea of how the government was created in order to benefit to the natural rights of the people, and to protect these

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However, Locke refutes an argument that will says legitimacy is not by consent to the people but by God. Locke writes against the principle of the divine right of the king. In other words, kings rule because God place them to rule, and Locke argues that kings rule by consent of the people. Therefore, if consent ever resolves, the people have the right to create a new government (Locke, 1980 [1690], p. 7-9). Locke dangerously talks about the right of revolution.

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By explicitly listing the different elements of civil interest, Locke sets relatively clear boundaries for government control. Additionally, Locke places far greater emphasis on the government leader’s responsibility to the people than Mussolini. Locke also states that “God certainly appointed government to restrain the partiality and violence of men” (pg. 86). The leader’s responsibility to the people further indicates Locke’s belief that government should exist to serve the people and to minimize negative human actions. The conflict between the Fascist regime in Fatherland and Locke’s political theory is the involvement government should have with its

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Locke's most important and influential political writings are contained in his Two Treatises on Government. The first treatise is concerned almost exclusively with refuting the argument that political authority was derived from religious authority. The second treatise contains Locke’s own constructive view of the aims and justification for civil government. According to Locke, the State of Nature, the natural condition of mankind, is a state of perfect and complete liberty to conduct one's life as one best sees fit, free from the interference of others. This does not mean, however, that it is a state of license: one is not free to do anything at all one pleases, or even anything that one judges to be in one’s interest.

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Only those who are born with true philosophical understanding can rule. In the Second Treatise by John Locke, Locke addresses the state of nature, which is essentially equality and freedom. Even though people have liberty, they still need to obey natural laws. On the contrary of Plato’s just city, Locke believes that absolute authority is not a civil government. A civil society is where the majority rules.

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