locke specific

what entitlements do rights give us

• right to do or not do things

• right to be or not be in certain states

• right for others to perform or not perform particular actions

examples of rights as entitlements

• free speech

• right not to be forced to do something

• freedom of movement

• not to be wrongfully imprisoned

• fair trial

• free from harassment

what is property

the right of access to and control over the use of something

common property

property held in common, e,g. parks

collective property

property that is controlled and managed by a collective

private property

property controlled and accessed by you

natural rights

rights baked into society, locke believed they come from god and we are inscribed into gods creation

legal rights

dependent upon political structure, rights created through social normalities and rules

lockes idea of the role of a legitimate government

to create political and legal structures that protect and enforce our natural rights

arbitrary authority

when someone illegitimate tries to rule over people

lockes first treaties of government

against the divine right of kings (said to be illegitimate authority, political power comes from social contracts not divine power)

lockes second treaties of government

the things that qualify a legitimate authority (freedom, natural rights, social contract, right of rebellion)

who did locke target and why

Robert filmer. he wanted to scrap filmers idea of the divine right of kings.

why does locke reject the divine right of kings

we are all gods creation and so everyone including the king is equal, he can’t just hold himself as a little god on earth. we are made for gods pleasure not for the pleasure of the king

what did filmer say about the divine right of kings

he believed that the king gains authority through god by tracing them back to Adam, the first sovereign of the world

what do lockes treaties argue for

the natural freedom and equality of all human beings

is there natural authority between people

no, because human authority is completely artificial, people must instead act as an authority over themselves

what does our survival require

life, liberty and property

what is lockes main natural law

the right to life, liberty and property in order to survive and prosper

lockes definition of the state of nature

the state of nature exists whenever we are bound only by natural law due to the absence of a legitimate political society

lockes quote on the state of nature

every man hath a right to punish the offender, and be executioner of the law of nature

what are the issues with lockes natural law

• if each persons view on punishment is different how will we decide what is valid and what is not

• we may also struggle to enforce natural law

why do we need political structure

• to enforce natural law

• to validate punishment

• to create a social contract

why are we valid for defending ourselves

its gods will what we preserve our lives and flourish, we have a god given right to defend our lives

what did locke say about slavery

slavery is so vile and miserable an estate of man

what was lockes involvement with slavery

he benefited from it financially but also addressed abuse of power in Virginia, writing ‘well done’ in a passage that stated that slave master wouldn’t benefit from importing slaves

when did locke allow for slavery

if you subdue an opponent in war that enforces natural law, they have already given up their autonomy by going into war, this just prolongs it

illegitimate slavery

the imposition of absolute power of life and death over another, the condition brought about by tyrants

link between the king and slavery

if the king has, in effect, put us in illegitimate slavery, then a legitimate policy can use power against him

when can we depose power

if those entrusted to govern us do not pursue the common good and act in accordance with natural law, if they betray the trust of those who put them in power

slavery is death postponed

after a just war, slavery is just death postponed, they have control over the life and death of their slave and thus power over their body

what is agency enabled by

my body, I have property over my own person, I control it

when is freedom restricted

when you restrict my body, my agency is restricted and thus my freedom. essentially you are enslaving me

why should we respect each others freedom

we were all created by god and therefore we are all equal

why are property rights part of the natural order

by respecting each others freedom, we respect the personal ownership of each others bodies and this includes the notion of private property

what should governments aim for

the preservation of freedom, property and well-being

the connection between property and labour

if I use my body to shape and order elements of nature, they become my property because they become mixed with my agency