Unit 4 Second Treaties of Civil Government

Author bio: Author John Locke(1632-1704) was an English political philosopher who's ideas later influenced the French and American revolutions. He is know as the father of liberalism. E was born in  Wrington, Somerset, England. He was a product of the English civil war.

Speaker- John Locke.

Date/Context: Two years before the second treaties of civil government king James II was ousted in the glorious revolution. The put king William III in instead. The second treaties of civil government was written to defend the reasons why the glorious revolution happened and to justify the actions of the people involved in it.

Summary: He starts out by saying penalties are needed to protect people. Through out the rest of the is explaining political power and it's origins. He starts out by explaining the law of nature. Were everyone is entirely free. They do not have the liberty to destroy themselves or other creatures. In the law of nature everyone is equal. They are only answerable to god. And only got can set someone higher than another. Natural communities work with everyone needing each other and everyone being equal. Then he talks about when you are allowed to harm someone else. He says if someone is threatening you with destruction or attempting to control you they are declaring war on you. You have the right to defend yourself if someone tries to take you liberties away. He says that no one wants absolute power unless he want to control you and make you a slave. Than he says the natural liberty says that no one be under the authority of another unless it is  represented and supported by the commonwealth, but they are not bound by laws. Under a government every person is bound under a rule of law not set by a person with absolute power. Only if the person agrees to be subordinate to the majority there is a society we're a government influenced by the people than there is a government. This government will make the law of the land but they will only be passed by the majority and the minority will have to follow. Society can only be reached if a groups of people work as one unit. Then he basically goes on to explain that people have to give up some freedom to protect the most important freedoms and liberties. Then he talks about how absolute power is not natural and not right. His last point is basically saying that government and laws are the fences of rights and liberties. His tone is defiantly defensive and in a lecturing tone.

Key quotes: 

"... what state all men are naturally i, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions and dispose of their possessions and persons, as they hint fit, within the bounds of the law of nature; without asking leave or depending upon the will of any other man."

" I should have a right to destroy that which threatens me with destruction..."

"The natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth and not to be under the will or legislative authority of man..."

" The only way, whereby any one divests himself of his natural liberty and puts on the bonds of civil society, is by agreeing with other men to join and unite into a community..."

" The reason why men enter into society, is the preservation of their property; and the end why they chose and authorize a legislative, is, that there may be laws made, and rules set, as guards and fences to the properties of all the members of the society, to limit the power, and moderate the dominion, of every part and member of the society..."