Locke and the Right to Rebel

Paper Summary:

The paper's argument hinges on a clear conception of natural law as framed by John Locke in his "Two Treatises on Government". The paper explains the premise of Locke's argument where he argues that citizens' right to sedition is a necessary safeguard from tyranny, and takes into account that positive laws are no safeguard against abuse of power even when they are constituted on the principles of natural law. The paper contends that we must consider the spirit of Locke's thesis and not the letter of it.

From the Paper:

"The first thing we must remember when analyzing Locke is that he is not aiming at a formula for successful civil government. Instead he wants to provide a rationale that inspires belief in civil governance, and therefore in democratic institutions. So, no matter which way he frames the rules of civil liberty, they must be riddled with contradiction. In particular, where does one draw the line between respect for law and the right to resist authority? There are no reliable rules, and the decision is bound to be an arbitrary one. It is easy to pick faults in Locke's scheme, and to conclude that, by allowing for the right to resist a democratically appointed government he is only throwing the baby out with the bathwater. But such a conclusion misses the entire point of Locke's argument."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Locke, J. Two Treatises on Government

More papers on Locke and the Right to Rebel:

• Essay # 43236 : "Right To Revolution"
• Term Paper # 144734 : "Indecent Content and the Right to Free Speech"
• Book Review # 148125 : "Justice in Don Mitchell's "The Right to the City"

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