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Best john locke second treatise of government

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Best john locke second treatise of government reviews

1. Second Treatise of Government (Hackett Classics)

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SECOND TREATISE OF GOVERNMENT
JOHN LOCKE
1980 EDITION

Description

The Second Treatise is one of the most important political treatises ever written and one of the most far-reaching in its influence.

In his provocative 15-page introduction to this edition, the late eminent political theorist C. B. Macpherson examines Locke's arguments for limited, conditional government, private property, and right of revolution and suggests reasons for the appeal of these arguments in Locke's time and since.

2. The First & Second Treatises of Government

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Locke's two groundbreaking treatises regarding good governance are present here in this complete edition.

At the time these treatises were written, English politics had undergone decades of upheaval in the wake of the English Civil War. When Dutch monarch William of Orange ascended to the English throne in the Glorious Revolution of 1688, burning questions over the best form of governance for England were prominent in the intelligentsia of the era. It was a time when England grappled with its incremental transition from monarchy to early forms of democracy and right to vote, where dynastic monarchy and religious theory still held considerable power over the formation of the state.

In the first treatise Locke proceeds to attack and dissect his prominent contemporary Robert Filmer, who was broadly in favour of absolute monarchy under the principle of divine right. The allusions to the Biblical Adam, wherein the monarch can be intimated as a continuation of the first man ever created, are debunked by Locke who asserts that God never asserted that one man had province to rule over all other human beings. Supporting his argument with known history, Locke concludes that no king over the centuries had asserted to be the heir of Adam and thereby the rightful ruler of a country.

In the second treatise Locke turns to a different topic - that of the state of nature. He discusses how humanity may have behaved prior to the establishment of formal societies, and concludes that humanity - even without an established government in place - had never been truly lawless even when freedom was at its farthest extent. In arguing against the tyranny of absolute monarchy, while acknowledging the advantages of humanity's freedom in its natural ungoverned state, Locke arrives at his conclusion: a democratically elected government, whereby humans are accorded freedoms but must conform to the rule of law, is the most advantageous type of government to which humans can aspire.

Lauded as a classic of political philosophy, the treatises by Locke are a common requirement in various educational courses concerning political science and philosophy to this day. While steeped in the historical realities of the late 17th century, the arguments Locke composes for governance favourable to the people and their country's development were immensely influential on political theory during and after the Enlightenment era.

3. The Second Treatise of Government and A Letter Concerning Toleration (Dover Thrift Editions)

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A highly influential figure in the Age of Enlightenment in England and France, whose works helped inspire the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, John Locke was one of the most important political theorists in Western history. In The Second Treatise of Government, a major contribution to the principles underlying modern democracies, he achieved two objectives: refuting the concept of the divine right of monarchy, and establishing a theory of government based on the ultimate sovereignty of the people.
In A Letter Concerning Toleration, composed as early as 1667 but not published for political reasons until 1689 after the "Glorious Revolution" Locke pleaded for religious tolerance on grounds similar to his argument for political freedom, i.e., that all men are by nature "free, equal, and independent," and are entitled to freedom of thought, freedom of speech, and freedom of worship. To help guarantee the latter freedom, Locke called for separation of church and state.
The basis of social and political philosophy for generations, these works laid the foundation of the modern democratic state in England and abroad. Their enduring importance makes them essential reading for students of philosophy, history, and political science.

4. Two Treatises of Government and A Letter Concerning Toleration (with an Introduction by Henry Morley)

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First published anonymously in December 1689, John Lockes Two Treatises of Government are considered to be some of the most important works of political philosophy ever written. In the first treatise Locke disputes the divine right of monarchial rule principle that is put forth in the book Patriarcha by Sir Robert Filmer. The first treatise is in fact a sentence by sentence refutation of Patriarcha. Filmer asserts the idea that absolute authority over the world flows from the Biblical Adam and his ownership of the world and that the heir of Adam is the rightful inheritor of this authority. Locke dismisses this line of reasoning that authority flows from some divine lineage to the first man in favor of a system based on natural laws and consent of the people. In the second treatise Locke sets forth the basic principles of natural law that lay the foundation for basic human rights and the government of man. Also contained within this volume is the shorter work, A Letter Concerning Toleration. These works collectively represent some of the first and most important rejections of monarchial rule and helped to lay the foundation towards the representative governments that now dominate the Western world. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and includes an introduction by Henry Morley.

5. Second Treatise of Government and A Letter Concerning Toleration (Oxford World's Classics)

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Oxford University Press

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'Man being born...to perfect freedom...hath by nature a power...to preserve his property, that is, his life, liberty and estate.'

Locke's Second Treatise of Government (1689) is one of the great classics of political philosophy, widely regarded as the foundational text of modern liberalism. In it Locke insists on majority rule, and regards no government as legitimate unless it has the consent of the people. He sets aside people's ethnicities, religions, and cultures and envisages political societies which command our assent because they meet our elemental needs simply as humans. His work helped to entrench ideas of a social contract, human rights, and protection of property as the guiding principles for just actions and just societies.

Published in the same year, A Letter Concerning Toleration aimed to end Christianity's wars of religion and called for the separation of church and state so that everyone could enjoy freedom of conscience. In this edition of these two major works, Mark Goldie considers the contested nature of Locke's reputation, which is often appropriated by opposing political and religious ideologies.

ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

6. Locke : Two Treatises of Government

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Cambridge University Press

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This is a new revised version of Dr. Laslett's standard edition of Two Treatises. First published in 1960, and based on an analysis of the whole body of Locke's publications, writings, and papers. The Introduction and text have been revised to incorporate references to recent scholarship since the second edition and the bibliography has been updated.

7. Second Treatise of Government: An essay concerning the true original, extent and end of civil government

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The Second Treatise outlines a theory of civil society. John Locke begins by describing the state of nature, a picture much more stable than Thomas Hobbes' state of "war of every man against every man," and argues that all men are created equal in the state of nature by God. From this, he goes on to explain the hypothetical rise of property and civilization, in the process explaining that the only legitimate governments are those that have the consent of the people. Therefore, any government that rules without the consent of the people can, in theory, is overthrown. Lockes political philosophy is compared and contrasted with Thomas Hobbes Leviathan. The motivation in both cases is self-preservation with Hobbes arguing the need of an absolute monarch to prevent the war of all against all inherent in anarchy while Locke argues that the protection of life, liberty, and property can be achieve by a parliamentary process that protects, not violates, ones rights.

Locke explores a number of notable themes such as conquest and slavery, property, representative government, and the right of revolution.

8. UNDERSTANDING JOHN LOCKE: The Smart Student's Guide to Locke's Second Treatise of Government (Smart Student's Guides to Philosophical Classics)

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Understanding John Locke is an introduction and guide to one of the most influential books in the history of political philosophy: John Locke's Second Treatise of Government, first published in 1689. John Locke's short book was the intellectual inspiration of two revolutions: The Whig revolt against absolute monarchy in 17th century England and almost 100 years later, the revolt of the American colonies against British rule, culminating in the founding of the United States of America. Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, George Mason and James Madison all ranked John Locke as one of the most influential thinkers they consulted during the American revolution and the formation of the liberal constitutional state that emerged from it. In his introduction to Second Treatise, Laurence Houlgate takes the student along with him in a clear account and exploration of Locke's main theories about the nature and origin of political power, the state of nature, the state of war, the law of nature, the social contract, the origin of private property, the distinction between political, paternal and tyrannicall power, the legitimate placing of political power, the separation of legislative and executive power, and the conditions for justifiable revolution. Houlgate's book concludes with a postscript comparing the replies that Locke and his ancient Greek predecessor Plato might give to the central questions of political philosophy. Professor Houlgate's book is not a version of Cliff Notes, nor is it a lengthy scholarly monograph full of end notes and incomprehensible technical terms. It is a book for beginning philosophy and political science students who want more than an outline. It is a book for smart students who also want to understand the progression of John Locke's ideas, arguments and methodology. This is the second book in the Smart Student's Guide series, preceded by Understanding Plato: The Smart Students Guide to the Socratic Dialogues and The Republic.

9. Second Treatise Of Government: By John Locke - Illustrated

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How is this book unique?

  1. Font adjustments & biography included
  2. Unabridged (100% Original content)
  3. Illustrated

About Second Treatise Of Government by John Locke

The Second Treatise is one of the most important political treatises ever written and one of the most far-reaching in its influence. In his provocative 15-page introduction to this edition, the late eminent political theorist C. B. Macpherson examines Locke's arguments for limited, conditional government, private property, and right of revolution and suggests reasons for the appeal of these arguments in Locke's time and since.

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