Locke "The Natural Liberty of Essay

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As for knowledge, Locke believed that "the best and surest way to get clear and distinct knowledge is through examining and judging ideas by themselves" (Locke, 1997, VI: I).

The Family -- Locke lived in a time in which the family was patriarchal and central to the argument of the opponents to limited government. In early-modern England the family structure was more authoritarian, intolerant, and sexist. Locke's political theory had revolutionary implications that could easily be exported to governments, and as an individualist, it is easy to see why Locke would look upon inequality and mindless subjugation as unproductive and antithetical. In this the natural rights family was radical in the sense that it held that everyone born was capable of actualization. The family was a microcosm of government, and also served as a way to train individuals into their roles and responsibilities within society (Ward, 2010, pp. 136-42).

Private Property- in a rather egalitarian way, Locke's view of property can be expressed in three parts: 1) use only as much as needed before it spoils; 2) leave enough for others (don't hoard); and 3) appropriate property through one's own labor (Two Treatises, 2.27-31). This makes sense when thinking about Locke's political philosophy -- since humans must be cooperative to have a just and productive society, each must be able to be comfortable, own land, etc. But not have so much that others cannot actualize themselves. Property, though, for Locke was also life and liberty (Two Treatises 2.87).

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The idea of property fits in with the consent argument because it allows the reason for accumulation of wealth, the desire to maintain a standard of living, but also then not only an obligation to society, but an obligation to others to remove that society should it become coercive or prevent the rights to life, liberty and estate.

Locke and Rebellion- the duties of natural law apply only when the individual's preservation is not threatened, then the obligations stop in cases in which the preservation is directly threatened. Humans consent to being governed because it is efficient and brings the greatest good to the greater numbers through cooperative efforts. This includes defense of that society should it become necessary. However, the power of government is linked to the public good, and as such, that power "hat no other end but preservation" and must not justify killing, enslaving, or plundering its citizens (Two Treatises 2,135). If that happens, then Locke views the entire theory of consent to be governed now requiring the consent of all citizens to change the government to one that will again, protect the natural rights of its citizenry.

REFERENCES

Baird, F. And Kaufman, W. (2007). Philosophic Classics: From Plato to Derrida.

New York: Prentice Hall.

Locke, J. (2003). Two Treatises of Government. Ed. Ian Shapiro. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Locke, J., R. Woodhouse, ed. (1997). An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. New York:….....

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