John Locke (1632-1704)

Important precursors of Locke

  • Hugo Grotius (1583-1645)

  • Samuel von Pufendorf (1632-1694)

  • Sir Robert Filmer (1588-1653) (Locke is very)

Overview of his major works

  • Prolific author who wrote many books

    • An Essay Concerning Human Understanding

      • explores of human consciousness, self-identity and experiences

    • wrote about optics and perceptions

    • wrote the constitution of Carolina

    • Letter Concerning Toleration

      • arguments could be extended to any group e.g. other religions, queer, trans people

    • Two Treatises of Government

Overview of his political beliefs

  • For individual freedom, against authoritarianism

    • thought the rule of property owners was the best form of rule;

    • could rule over everyone and still respect their freedom

  • Early proponent of religious toleration

  • Uses Hobbesian method; starts with SoN and has a social contract

    • but, he describes the SoN differently ——> different social contract and aims

  • recognised today as one of the founders of “liberalism”

Tenets of liberalism are that;

  • individuals are the focus of moral judgement

  • political institutions are artificial creations to serve all the people as individuals

  • rights of individuals limit the legitimate power of government

  • the recognition of a private personal realm and the toleration of differences

First Treatise

  • Locke dismisses Robert Filmer's justification for who should rule the state

    • Filmer argued that God gave the earth to Adam;

    • Adam passed it onto his sons and his sons etc. splitting up as kings of the earth

    • thus, the successors of Adam inherited the divine right to control the land which God gave to Adam

Second Treatise

Locke’s SoN and social contract

  • unlike Hobbes, individual have natural rights in Locke’s SoN

  • moral rights include;

    • right to self-ownership and from this, right to own property

    • right to punish and even kill those who transgress their rights

      • causes problems and inconvenciences since individuals are bad judges in their own cases

  • because conflict exist in the SoN, we want a sovereign authority to settle disputes

    • we only consent to an authority which protects our safety and rights better than we could protect it ourselves in the SoN

Self-ownership implies ownership of one’s labour

·       Ownership of one’s labour implies ownership of any unowned thing one transforms with it

·       Other reasons the first labourer deserves to become owner

o   The paradox of plenty

o   Labour creates most value

o   “No taxation without representation” American independence rebel slogan

Locke Appropriation Theory (in the SON)

A Letter Concerning Toleration can apply to any groups,

Recognised today as one of the founders of “liberalism”

rights of individuals limit the government

individuals have natural rights including self ownership

appropriation theory