Locke’s Political Theory - 1377 Words

Locke had undoubtedly aimed to defend ideas that are still being debated today. Rather distinctively, Locke portrays sovereignty as belonging and residing with the people. Unlike Hobbes, we see the state of nature as consisting of equality and there is an existence of natural rights that govern behaviour. Yet, the question is to why a society may need a sovereign if the state of nature was so, arguably, peaceful in the first place. Locke argues that this is because there are bound to be some people infringing others’ rights (‘inconveniences’), which will then need to be sanctioned (Laslett 1988). Also, a state and separate judicial, legislative and executive branches are required to protect private property. If the government ceases to act†¦show more content†¦There is a clear danger of bias within Locke’s arguments here. Moreover, it has also been argued that Locke’s political theory is completely flawed as consent is very weak, or maybe does not even exist. The years and histories of politics have witnessed many inter-state wars, civil wars, human sufferings, revolutions, uprisings and still today, there are many groups in societies that are constantly marginalised and silenced. In a world of violence and endless cycles of problems, it may be naà ¯ve to say that people consent to their governments and the arrangements on their lands. Ironically, it is precisely the existence of a certain type of government that leads to problems and uprisings, as populations can become dissatisfied and unhappy. Yet, this criticism may be regarded as pessimistic and Locke does indeed address this issue when he argues that people have a right to rise against their governments, when they are dissatisfied and thus give consent to a new government (although this may, in reality, be very difficult and sometimes ev en impossible practically). Locke’s political theory embraces the idea of consent as Locke believes that a poor peasant under a government is still in a better situation than somebody who lives under no rule. As Hume writes, therefore, people may consent from â€Å"necessity† (Haakonssen 1994, p.194) but this is beneficial. They are then able to â€Å"live under his dominion†Show MoreRelatedAge Of Enlightenment755 Words   |  4 PagesThe first treatise of government, written in 1689, was Locke’s way to denounce and criticize Patriarcha, a book written by Robert Filmer, an English political theorist. Patriarcha, also known as The Natural Power of Kings, was written to show the divine right given to kings. King’s rule, according to Filmer, was directly passed down from the gods making the king complete authority and law over his citizens. However, Locke rejected Filmer’s theory by stating that men by their natural rights are bornRead MoreSocial Contract Theory of John L ocke Essay1153 Words   |  5 PagesSocial Contract Theory of John Locke Given the honored and extensive authority that the social contract theory upholds, the supposition still endures various assessments. The view that people’s ethical and political responsibilities are reliant upon a contract between them to structure a society is also precisely linked with current ethical and political theory. John Locke (b. 1632, d. 1704), a prominent truth-seeker among other professions of the 17th and early 18th centuries, is primarily recognizedRead MoreThe Classical Theory Of The Law Of Nature And The Social Treaty Of John Locke Essay1410 Words   |  6 Pages The classical theory of the law of nature and the social treaty of John Locke can be found in the fundamentals of the modern, especially in the Anglo-Saxon, governmental institutions. 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