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Locke State Of Power Chapter Summaries

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Chapter one of this second book, according to the footnotes, is supposed to tie together the first treatise of government and the second. This chapter brings up Adam as that tie and then continues on to discuss what Locke will tell us in the rest of the chapters. He mentions that the political power is what gives men power, and then discusses the difference in the powers. One example he gives is the difference between the power of a father and the power of a ruler. Chapter two begins by continuing this discussion on political power and what is deemed natural because of it. Just like others before him, his first discussion is based on men in a state of nature. He describes this state as one of perfect freedom, meaning that all men do as they …show more content…

Locke also discusses equality, saying that this is when all men are equal in any given way. Locke is also saying that all men are equal, except for when God chooses and ordains a man to be unequal, to be above all others. The discussion continues with liberty. Here, Locke says that it is important to understand that all men are in the same state of nature as others and are all equal, and that it would be best to all live wit respect amongst each other. This then turns the discussion into a situation of what to do when one man commits a crime against another. Locke clearly says that in the even of one man committing a crime against another, then the victim has the right to retaliate and serve justice. In this chapter, Locke has acknowledged that in a state of nature, there are no laws (as we would understand them in the modern day). Reason rules in the natural state, but this is also the reasons that rulers exist. Because in a natural state, someone must be there in order to keep laws and hand down justice. Locke brings up the idea deterrence and explains that every man has the right to protect himself and his family, however, in the event that someone murders another, then it is just if you execute the murderer. This will then deter others from doing so. This

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