John Locke's Philosophy of Government

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that John Locke suggestion, in his "The Second Treatise of Civil Government", that establishing the rule of law without the use of force is not easy; however, Locke's discussion is clouded not only by vagueness but also by the fact that he "says too much". The author stresses that there is evidence that John Locke indeed supported the American colonies' drive for freedom. The paper relates that Locke points out specifically in his "Second Treatise" that taking property without the will and consent of the people is against both natural law and the fiduciary nature of civil authority.

Table of Contents:
The Limits and Functions of Government
Political Power
Hobbes on Sovereignty
Does Locke Trust People Too Much?
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"In fact, the British had repealed the Stamp Act after the colonies dumped tea in Boston harbor and otherwise rebelled against heavy-handed British rule; the colonies also objected to the very fact that they had come over to the new world seeking both religious freedom and a chance to get a new start economically. And from far away in England, came oppressive rule and taxation "without representation." Locke expressed - in his Letter on Toleration, which was "highly esteemed in New England" and which "the care of souls cannot belong to the civil magistrate," ..."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Dworetz, Steven M. (1990). The Unvarnished Doctrine: Locke, Liberalism, and the American Revolution. Durham: Duke University Press.
• Grant, Ruth W. (1987). John Locke's Liberalism. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
• Locke, John. (1690). The Second Treatise of Civil Government. Retrieved 1 Dec. 2006 from http://www.constitution.org/jl/2ndtreat.htm
• Nadon, Christopher. (2006). Absolutism and the Separation of Church and State in Locke's Letter Concerning Toleration. Perspectives on Political Science, 35(2), 94-101.
• Rapaczynski, Andrzej. (1987). Nature and Politics: Liberalism in the Philosophies of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

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