Second Treatise of Government
| Authors | Locke, John |
| Series | Project Gutenberg [7370.0] |
| Tags | Political science -- Early works to 1800, Toleration -- Early works to 1800, Liberty -- Early works to 1800 |
| Publisher | Hackett Publishing Company |
| Published | 01 gen 1690 |
| Date | 07 nov 2023 |
| Languages | eng |
| Identifiers | uri: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7370 |
Description
Ed Feser, Locke pp. 103-4 (cf. this):
To be sure, Jefferson’s formulation [in the Declaration of Independence] is by no means entirely Lockean in content. Locke would, for reasons we will examine presently, be more inclined to speak of rights to one’s “life, health, liberty [and] possessions” (T II.6 ["Of Paternal Power"]), though the pursuit of happiness is not entirely outside the range of his concern.
Locke was writing against the Protestant absolutist Filmer, who thought kings had authority by divine right and thus couldn't be deposed
Locke advocated an equality in the political sphere, that naturally no man has political authority over another. Adam had no political authority over his descendants, though he had a paternal authority (seems to be related to the Augustinian view that the State is a consequence of original sin?).
Ch. 6 argues for parental (mother & father) rights (not mere paternal authority) over children.
As Fr. Fahey shows in his work that cites Locke the most, Church & Farming, Locke was a nominalist.