Summary Of The Second Treatise Of Civil Government By John Locke
In his book, “The Second Treatise of Civil Government”, John Locke discusses many parts of society. To me the most interesting discussion was his views on the state of nature and why we need government. Unlike Thomas Hobbes, who disliked the state of nature, Locke believed it to be an almost favorable environment for people to live in. Locke says in his book that all men can “order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature” (Chapter 2, Section 4). Despite his agreeable outlook on the state of nature, Locke does still believe that a government is necessary. A government is necessary because despite all the freedom people have in the state of nature, there aren’t
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Having a set of rules for all the people to follow helps to protect them and to keep the commonwealths order. In a commonwealth the laws are created and interpreted by the sovereign/leaders and their few chosen people in order for the laws to maintain one meaning for all the people. This is much different from the state of natures idea that all men are free to, “order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons, as they think fit” (Chapter 2, Section 4). This makes a government a great upgrade from the state of nature because in order for groups of people to survive while living together or at least near each other they need to have a set of rules that are maintained and upheld by a person or a group of people. In order for a government, the laws, and the sovereign(s) to be able to work though, some of the peoples freedoms will have to be given up, “Whenever therefore any number of men are so united into one society, as to quit every one his executive power of the law of nature, and to resign it to the public, there and there only is a political, or civil society.” (Chapter 7, Section 89). Though the rights given up by the creation of a commonwealth tend to be the same no matter what form of government is chosen, some do give the citizens more of a say in
Having a set of rules for all the people to follow helps to protect them and to keep the commonwealths order. In a commonwealth the laws are created and interpreted by the sovereign/leaders and their few chosen people in order for the laws to maintain one meaning for all the people. This is much different from the state of natures idea that all men are free to, “order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons, as they think fit” (Chapter 2, Section 4). This makes a government a great upgrade from the state of nature because in order for groups of people to survive while living together or at least near each other they need to have a set of rules that are maintained and upheld by a person or a group of people. In order for a government, the laws, and the sovereign(s) to be able to work though, some of the peoples freedoms will have to be given up, “Whenever therefore any number of men are so united into one society, as to quit every one his executive power of the law of nature, and to resign it to the public, there and there only is a political, or civil society.” (Chapter 7, Section 89). Though the rights given up by the creation of a commonwealth tend to be the same no matter what form of government is chosen, some do give the citizens more of a say in