Two Treatises of Government: With a Supplement, Patriarcha, by Robert Filmer

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Simon and Schuster, 1947 - Philosophy - 310 pages
Published after the Glorious Revolution of 1688 brought William of Orange and Mary to the throne, but written in the throes of the Whig revolutionary plots against Charles II in the early 1680s, John Locke offers a theory of natural law and natural rights which distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate civil governments, and argues for the legitimacy of revolt against tyrannical governments. These radical ideas remain influential today. In these two treatises the political philosopher John Locke espouses radical theories which influenced the ideologies of the American and French revolutions, and became the basis for the social and political philosophies of Rousseau, Voltaire and the United States founding fathers. In the first treatise Locke aims to refute the doctrine of the patriarchal and absolute right of the Divine Right of Kings doctrine put forth by Sir Robert Filmer's Patriarcha. He examines key Biblical passages to prove that scripture does not support Filmer's premise. The second treatise offers Locke's positive theory of government in which he establishes a theory which reconciles the liberty of the citizen with political order. His basic premise is founded on the independence of the individual. He declares that men are born free and equal in their rights and that wealth is the product of labor. In his revolutionary theory of the social contract he proposes that a legitimate civil government must preserve the rights to life, liberty, health and property of its citizens, and prosecute and punish those in violation of those rights. Reprint of the 1698 third edition.

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Contents

THE FIRST TREATISE OF GOVERNMENT
5
III
16
OF ADAMS TITLE TO SOVEREIGNTY BY THE SUBJEC
35
OF FATHERHOOD AND PROPERTY CONSIDERED
56
OF MONARCHY BY INHERITANCE FROM ADAM
62
OF THE HEIR TO ADAMS MONARCHICAL POWER
76
THE SECOND TREATISE OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT
119
CHAPTER PAGE IV OF SLAVERY
132
OF THE LEGISLATIVE EXECUTIVE AND FEDERATIVE POWER OF THE COMMONWEALTH
194
OF THE SUBORDINATION OF THE POWERS OF THE COMMONWEALTH
196
OF PREROGATIVE
203
OF PATERNAL POLITICAL AND DESPOTICAL POWER CONSIDERED TOGETHER
208
OF CONQUEST
210
OF USURPATION
221
OF TYRANNY
222
OF THE DISSOLUTION OF GOVERNMENT
228

OF PROPERTY
133
OF PATERNAL POWER
146
OF POLITICAL OR CIVIL SOCIETY
159
OF THE BEGINNING OF POLITICAL SOCIETIES
168
OF THE ENDS OF POLITICAL SOCIETY AND GOVERN MENT
184
OF THE FORMS OF A CommonwealTH
186
ΧΙ OF THE EXTENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE POWER
188
PATRIARCHA
249
THAT THE FIRST KINGS WERE FATHERS OF FAMILIES
251
IT IS UNNATURAL FOR THE PEOPLE TO GOVERN OR CHOOSE GOVERNORS
260
POSITIVE LAWS DO NOT INFRINGE THE NATURAL AND FATHERLY POWER OF KINGS
281
NOTE ON SIR ROBERT FILMER
309
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About the author (1947)

John Locke's works of political and social philosophy, written in the 17th century, have strongly influenced intellectuals ever since - including the founders of the United States of America. Born in 1632 in Wrington, England, Locke studied at Christ Church, Oxford, where he earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees in the late 1650's. He also studied medicine and earned a medical license. His studies led to an interest in contemporary philosophers influenced by science, such as Rene Descartes. Locke read widely among them while teaching at Christ Church over the next few years. In 1667, Locke became personal physician and adviser to Anthony Ashley Cooper, who later was appointed Earl of Shaftesbury. Through Shaftesbury's patronage, Locke earned some government posts and entered London's intellectual circles, all the while writing philosophy. He was one of the best-known European thinkers of his time when he died in 1704. In An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690), Locke established the philosophy of empiricism, which holds that the mind at birth is a blank tablet. Experience, Locke believed, would engrave itself upon the tablet as one grew. He felt humans should create theories according to experience and test them with experiments. This philosophy helped establish the scientific method. Locke codified the principals of liberalism in "Two Treatises of Government" (1690). He emphasized that the state must preserve its citizens' natural rights to life, liberty and property. When the state does not, Locke argued, citizens are justified in rebelling. His view of liberalism comprised limited government, featuring elected representation and legislative checks and balances. While a Christian, Locke believed in absolute separation of church and state, and he urged toleration of those whose religious views differed from the majorities.

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