Locke Second Treatise on Civil Government - Analysis | Milestone Documents - Milestone Documents

John Locke: Second Treatise on Civil Government

( 1690 ) Commentary by Andrew J. Waskey, Dalton State College
  • “To understand political power right, and derive it from its original, we must consider, what state all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons, as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature, without asking leave, or depending upon the will of any other man.” - Chapter II, Section 4
  • “But though this be a state of liberty yet it is not a state of licence: though man in that state have an uncontroulable liberty to dispose of his person or possessions, yet he has not liberty to destroy himself, or so much as any creature in his possession, but where some nobler use than its bare preservation calls for it.” - Chapter II, Section 6
  • “And thus, in the state of nature, one man comes by a power over another; but yet no absolute or arbitrary power, to use a criminal, when he has got him in his hands, according to the passionate heats, or boundless extravagancy of his own will; but only to retribute to him, so far as calm reason and conscience dictate, what is proportionate to his transgression.” - Chapter II, Section 8
  • “It is not every compact that puts an end to the state of nature between men, but only this one of agreeing together mutually to enter into one community, and make one body politic; other promises, and compacts, men may make one with another, and yet still be in the state of nature.” - Chapter II, Section 14
  • “He who attempts to get another man into his absolute power, does thereby put himself into a state of war with him.” - Chapter III, Section 17
  • “The natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth, and not to be under the will or legislative authority of man, but to have only the law of nature for his rule.” - Chapter IV, Section 22
  • “God, who hath given the world to men in common, hath also given them reason to make use of it to the best advantage of life, and convenience. The earth, and all that is therein, is given to men for the support and comfort of their being.” - Chapter V, Section 26
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John Locke (Library of Congress)

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