Lockes Government
The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, and The SecondTreatise on Civil Government by John Locke, are two similar works. Locke's work seems tohave had an influence on Jefferson when he wrote the Declaration of Independence. Both workswere written on government, what it should and should not be. Locke brings the view that the state exists to preserve the natural rights of its citizens. When governments fail in that task, citizens have the right--and sometimes the duty--towithdraw their support and event to rebel. Locke maintained that the state of nature was a happyand tolerant one, that the social contract preserved the preexistent natural rights of theindividual to life, liberty, and property, and that the enjoyment of private rights-- the pursuit ofhappiness-- led, in civil society, to the common good. Locke's form of government is simple, yet confusing. Locke's government is brokendown into four main areas, the State of Nature ( SN ), the State of War ( SW ), Civil Society ( CS ), and Political Society ( PS ). Locke begins by recognizing the differencesbetween power, in general, and political power in particular. Locke believes political power to
John Locke, The Second Treatise on Civil Government (Prometheus Books, New York, 1986), pages 7-22. Both Lockeand Jefferson believe in equality, no man is better than the next. and to assumeamong the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature andof Nature's God entitle them. " ( 2 ) Here Locke makes it clear that if somethingneeds to be done, it needs to be done. We aregiven back our SN after it has been restored. Both men believe thatestablishing good solid laws are part of a government and both believe that laws that need to bepassed should be passed. The Declaration of Independence says that, ". They both believe that an individual is important in establishing agovernment, that a government should be built around the needs and wants of society. " ( 1 ) A point Locke makes is that we are not to ignorelaws that need to be passed. OurSN is threatened though because we do not have complete control, therefore we come into theState of War. "the power of a magistrate over a subject.
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