A masterpiece that refined ideas of the early political philosophers (Aristotle, Hobbes, Rousseau) into what became American government. I can understand why the Federalist authors relied on Locke and see directly his influence in those works. All of the key elements are there: libertarianism (trade-off of commonwealth to protect property against the initiation of force), balance of powers, ultimate recourse of the people, state of nature, benefits of commonwealth, justice. He builds with the el...

I learned a great deal from this book, much about natural law, paternal law and duty, about why man forms society and how legislature works and when it doesn't, about conquering and being conquered - it's really a tremendous read. There are many truths to be learned here, highly recommend it!

We have John Locke and this essay to thank for our fundamental beliefs in inalienable human rights and freedom from tyranny. If you want to form a real understanding of these principles, not just regurgitated talking points, then this is the book for you. Read this book!

While the basis of western government lies upon a foundation of John Locke's writing, we've pretty much forgotten what he said. This is an essential read for just about anybody who wants to say something intelligent about our political situation.

The foundation stone of the modern state; and being such it is a very technical and concentrated book. The discourse of the 'Second Treatise' is a building of the state from the ground up, in a sort of sociological interpretation of the evolution from society to state, which then slowly moves towards political and legal dimensions of the state. A laborious but rewarding readLocke provides a very good critique of the "Divine Right of Kings", a doctrine still in practice today. When one sees the t...

John Locke is right about more or less everything.

Probably Locke's works had a huge impact back in the day, but in my view, this book had a few remarkable ideas drowned in just too many words, that made it a painfully boring read. I was lucky that the book was rather short :)

While this volume is missing the First Treatise (which attacks theories of absolute monarchy rooted in Adam as the first in his line) and is a bit skimpy on notes, the second treatise is essential reading for anyone interested in thinking about the inter-grafted nature of the trees of "liberty" and "property" in the 18C, and how their legacy is still with us today (viz. libertarian insistence that the former rights are rooted in the latter).The First Treatise, and much better notes, can be found...

This was a fascinating read. I came to understand Natural Law much better, and it caused me to re-think my parenting and my current level of involvement with local government. I was intrigued to read several phrases here that ended up in our Declaration of Independence. So fun to read the works the Founders read as they were deciding how to form our Republic!

Of all the great scientists, philosophers, religious leaders, and political theorists we studied this past semester, John Locke is my favorite.In my oral final, I was asked to summarize each political philosopher with one sentence. My sentence for John Locke was, "Jefferson, you're welcome!" The more I read of Locke, the more I saw Jefferson and I loved it!At some point in my reading this book, I scrawled in the cover the following: "Locke stokes the flames of rebellion, fueled by the embers of

This book is a collection of the two most important parts of John Locke's political philosophy: the Second Treatise of Government and a Letter concerning Toleration (both published in 1689, in The Netherlands).In Second Treatise of Government, Locke argues from the perspective of a social contract, like Hobbes and Spinoza before him (and Rousseau and Montesquieu after him). In the state of nature, mankind is in a perpetual state of war: everyone looks pursues his or her own needs and the fruits

Locke is one of the many philosophers I am familiar with through secondary sources. but this was my first reading of his work. In the Second Treatise of Government, Locke painstakingly covers power in the parental, political, commonwealth, legislative, and tyrannical modes, leading to a conclusion that is equally applicable to social contract theory (explicitly put by Jean-Jacques Rousseau) and the doctrine of the separation of powers. What is taken for granted in liberal democracies today has a...

"Political power, then, I take to be a right of making laws with penalty of death..." 2"The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges every one; and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind who will but consult it, that, being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions." 3"Nothing was made by God for man to spoil or destroy." 14"For in all the states of created beings capable of laws, where there is no law, the...

I read the Second Treatise, and quickly browsed the Letter.Observations:Christians give Locke a pretty bad rap, which I think is unjust. Locke relied heavily upon scripture for making his arguments. From what I've read, his main weakness was in having a less than Calvinist belief as to original sin, but then again, how many...What is cool, is finding phrases that our Founders used, for instance in documents such as the Declaration: "long train of abuses..."His contract is not different from the

The material might be dense but Locke writes about some very worthwhile topics that every world citizen should familiarize himself or herself with. If we all followed John Locke's ideas, this world would be far less of a mess. These are critical ideas that everyone should be at least vaguely familiar with.

Reading this coming off of Debt is sorta a fool’s errand. Locke’s presuppositions about the origins of society (“Well, people had property that they worked and then they were threatened by invaders so they joined/formed a society”) are pretty laughable. Nevertheless, his Bible-based philosophizing has had staying power: political parties are still organized around different conceptions of private property. A terrible, useful little window into the depths of our collective sickness.

An excellent summary of the ideas and theories that compromise the society and culture of a capitalist republic. Though there are some details that one might dispute, it is clear that Locke is well-versed in his theories, and has an understanding of some of the truths behind human nature. An excellent place to start for anyone who is interested in beginning a study of Political Philosophy.

It was very interesting when John Locke was picking apart Sir Robert Filmer's writings. I think that John Locke provides an excellent view on politics and how people should be governed. I really enjoyed John Locke analyzing Sir Robert Filmer's surprisingly delusional writings. In the end John Locke's revolutionary form of government helped shape many countries. I wouldn't change anything.

Really well written and expressed, unlike other certain dense thinkers.However, though he comes to many good conclusions, the premises are definitely wobbly. Just a sampling:* Individual possession as basis for rights: oddly enough it is the baptists who should tell us better. Man does not possess himself, but is owned by God, therefore everything else he owns, he owns in stewardship for the common good of man. Although Locke insists that mixing labor with land makes property, he knew that the c...