Two Treatises of Government
A philosophical inquiry into the origins and limits of political authority.
Summary of 6 Key Points
Key Points
- Natural State and Natural Law
- Property Rights and Labor
- The State of War and Slavery
- The Social Contract and Political Society
- Tyranny and the Right of Revolution
- The Formation and Dissolution of Governments
key point 1 of 6
Natural State and Natural Law
The concept of the Natural State, or State of Nature, as depicted, is a theoretical construct used to imagine humanity in its earliest, pre-political existence. In this state, individuals are free and equal, bound by the law of nature which dictates that no one ought to harm another in their life, health, liberty, or possessions. The State of Nature is characterized by a condition of perfect freedom where individuals are at liberty to order their actions and dispose of their possessions and persons as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature, without asking leave or depending upon the will of any other man…Read&Listen More
key point 2 of 6
Property Rights and Labor
John Locke’s perspective on property rights and labor is foundational to modern political and economic thought. He posits that nature provides a common bounty for all, but it is labor that transforms this common resource into individual property. Locke argues that the right to property is a natural right derived from the labor one expends to improve or transform natural resources. When an individual mixes their labor with an object or resource from nature, they make it their own because they have bestowed upon it something of themselves, which is their labor…Read&Listen More
key point 3 of 6
The State of War and Slavery
The State of War, as discussed, is a concept distinct from the state of nature. It is a state of enmity and destruction, brought about by the deliberate intentions of one person to harm another, which stands in contrast to the state of nature where people live together governed by reason without a common superior. The state of war can emerge even within society and does not necessarily require a formal declaration of war. It involves the threat or attempt to destroy another’s life, liberty, health, or possessions. When one person violates the laws of reason and aggresses against another’s rights, they put themselves in a state of war with the aggrieved party…Read&Listen More
key point 4 of 6
The Social Contract and Political Society
In Two Treatises of Government, the concept of the social contract is introduced as a theoretical framework explaining the origin and purpose of government and political society. The social contract is an implicit agreement among individuals to form a society and accept certain moral and political obligations. This contract is rooted in the recognition of natural rights and the understanding that in a state of nature, individuals are equal and independent, possessing the rights to life, liberty, and property…Read&Listen More
key point 5 of 6
Tyranny and the Right of Revolution
In his political philosophy, John Locke addresses the issue of tyranny as a condition where the ruler becomes an absolute power who fails to protect the people’s rights and instead acts in his own interest, violating the natural rights of life, liberty, and property. Locke argues that a legitimate government must be established with the consent of the governed and must be a protector of the people’s inherent rights. If the government fails to do so and instead infringes upon these rights, it becomes tyrannical. The law of nature, which Locke believes supersedes any man-made law, dictates that everyone has the right to life, liberty, and property, and it is a government’s responsibility to safeguard these rights…Read&Listen More
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The Formation and Dissolution of Governments
The formation of governments, according to Locke, is deeply rooted in the state of nature where men are free, equal, and independent. No one can be subjected to the political power of another without consent. This consent is the basis of any legitimate government. The formation occurs when people, in the state of nature, agree to create a society and appoint rulers to protect their natural rights, namely life, liberty, and property. This social contract is a collective agreement to form a community under a system of laws and governance which would have the authority to act in the interest of the common good…Read&Listen More