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Second Treatise of Government

Chapter 1: SECOND TREATISE OF GOVERNMENT
By John Locke
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About This Book

The text presents a theory of political authority grounded in natural rights and consent. It describes a state of nature in which individuals possess life, liberty, and property, explains how property is acquired by labour, and argues that people consent to form civil society to secure those rights. Legitimate government is portrayed as limited, deriving its power from the consent of the governed and existing to protect the public good. The argument outlines the separation and limits of legislative and executive powers, the role of majority rule and tacit consent, and the right to resist or replace rulers who breach their trust.

The Project Gutenberg eBook of Second Treatise of Government

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Title: Second Treatise of Government

Author: John Locke

Release date: January 1, 2005 [eBook #7370]
Most recently updated: December 25, 2021

Language: English

Credits: Dave Gowan and Chuck Greif

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SECOND TREATISE OF GOVERNMENT ***

SECOND TREATISE OF GOVERNMENT

by JOHN LOCKE

Digitized by Dave Gowan. John Locke’s “Second Treatise of Government” was published in 1690. The complete unabridged text has been republished several times in edited commentaries. This text is recovered entire from the paperback book, “John Locke Second Treatise of Government”, Edited, with an Introduction, By C.B. McPherson, Hackett Publishing Company, Indianapolis and Cambridge, 1980. None of the McPherson edition is included in the Etext below; only the original words contained in the 1690 Locke text is included. The 1690 edition text is free of copyright.

TWO TREATISES OF GOVERNMENT

BY IOHN LOCKE

SALUS POPULI SUPREMA LEX ESTO

LONDON PRINTED MDCLXXXVIII

REPRINTED, THE SIXTH TIME, BY A. MILLAR, H. WOODFALL, 1. WHISTON AND B. WHITE, 1. RIVINGTON, L. DAVIS AND C. REYMERS, R. BALDWIN, HAWES CLARKE AND COLLINS; W. IOHNSTON, W. OWEN, 1. RICHARDSON, S. CROWDER, T. LONGMAN, B. LAW, C. RIVINGTON, E. DILLY, R. WITHY, C. AND R. WARE, S. BAKER, T. PAYNE, A. SHUCKBURGH, 1. HINXMAN

MDCCLXIII

TWO TREATISES OF GOVERNMENT. IN THE FORMER THE FALSE PRINCIPLES AND FOUNDATION OF SIR ROBERT FILMER AND HIS FOLLOWERS ARE DETECTED AND OVERTHROWN. THE LATTER IS AN ESSAY CONCERNING THE TRUE ORIGINAL EXTENT AND END OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT.

1764 EDITOR’S NOTE The present Edition of this Book has not only been collated with the first three Editions, which were published during the Author’s Life, but also has the Advantage of his last Corrections and Improvements, from a Copy delivered by him to Mr. Peter Coste, communicated to the Editor, and now lodged in Christ College, Cambridge.

Contents

CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
CHAPTER XIX.