Second Treatise of Government

About this book

John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government is a foundational work of political philosophy that argues against the divine‑right justification of authority and proposes a new basis for civil power. The opening sections dismantle the claim that Adam’s paternal dominion can legitimize modern rulers, then set out a definition of political power as the right to make laws, impose penalties, and protect the commonwealth. Locke proceeds to describe the “state of nature” as a condition of perfect freedom and equality, governed by a law of nature that obliges every person to respect life, liberty, health, and property. From this premise he derives the right of individuals to punish transgressors, laying the groundwork for his broader theory of government.

Written in the early‑18th‑century prose of a learned Englishman, the treatise combines rigorous logical argument with a moral tone that reflects its Enlightenment context. Readers interested in the origins of liberal thought, the history of toleration, or the philosophical underpinnings of modern liberty will find Locke’s methodical style and his careful distinctions between familial, contractual, and governmental authority especially rewarding.