Two Treatises of Government

Have you ever heard of a "treatise?" It's a written work that explains many principles of a topic in significant depth. As you might imagine, writing one requires John Locke wrote Two Treatises of Government while England was in the midst of the “Glorious Revolution." He wrote both books to describe his views on civil life and the role of government and its citizens.

Two Treatises of Government: John Locke

John Locke is a famous Enlightenment philosopher, now known as the “Father of Liberalism.” His writings, including the Two Treatises of Government, influenced other famous philosophers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau, David Hume, and Immanuel Kant.

While John Locke and his Two Treatises of Government are well-known today and regarded as one of the most influential texts on the American Revolution, it was not widely published in England when it first came out. Its translation into French exposed it to French philosophers like Rousseau, who then inspired Founding Fathers like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. It wasn’t until the American Revolution that it became known as an influential, foundational document.

A portrait of John Locke. Source: Wikimedia Commons CC-PD-Mark: Author, John Greenhill

Two Treatises of Government: Date

Two Treatises of Government were published in 1689, one year after the Glorious Revolution.

Two Treatises of Government Summary

This historical backdrop influenced Locke to write Two Treatises of Government to respond to current events of the day and outline a new type of government.

The First Treatise on Government

While many scholars focus on the Second Treatise on Government, the First Treatise is important because it sets the stage and explains why Locke wrote the Two Treatises in the first place.

The First Treatise on Government focuses on refuting the points in Robert Filmer’s Patriarcha. Filmer wrote Patriarcha to argue on behalf of the divine right of kings to rule. He supported absolute monarchy and used scripture as the basis for his belief that kings are ordained by God. Filmer looked at Biblical male figures like Adam and Abraham to support the patriarchal rule of kings. In his view, people were born into their stations for a reason, whether it be as a slave or as a king.

Locke delivered a refutation of Filmer’s argument, point by point. He argued that God did not create men to be slaves, but rather gave them freedom. If God wants men to be free and endowed them with natural rights, then no king or ruler has the right to be tyrannical.

The Second Treatise of Government

The Second Treatise of Government shifted away from focusing on Patriarcha and more towards exploring the themes of natural rights and how government should preserve harmony and peace, as described below.

The title page of Locke's Two Treatises of Government. Source: Wikimedia Commons CC-PD-Mark: Author, Library of Congress

Two Treatises of Government: Main ideas

The State of Nature

Locke believed that humanity could either be in the state of nature or the state of war. In the state of nature, there's no need to exert their power over others because people choose peace and harmony. In a state of war, people exert power over each other and cause chaos. By choosing to exist in the state of nature, humanity can avoid war and promote each other's natural rights.

Locke argues that humans are born free from the laws of men and should instead follow the laws of God. Because of this, the world is not lawless, but rather can be made to benefit all through structures and governance. Humans are all equally children of God and have natural, intrinsic rights. As such, they cannot be enslaved or imprisoned by other men.

Lastly, in the state of nature, because humanity is overall good, government should exist in order to help provide benefits to all, rather than punishing people or forcing them into submission.

Locke's Contrast with Thomas Hobbes

Thomas Hobbes was another important Enlightenment philosopher. His most well-known book, The Leviathan, was published in 1651 - several decades before the Two Treatises.

Similar to Locke, he believed in Social Contract theory and that government should rule with the consent of the governed. However, he differed in his view of humanity. He believed that humanity was inherently bad and thus government was necessary to enforce rules and maintain order.

The front of Hobbes' The Leviathan. Source: Wikimedia Commons CC-Zero: Author, British Library

Natural Rights

Two Treatises talked about the idea of “natural rights.” “Natural rights” are rights that are given to everyone simply by virtue of being human. No one can take these rights away, no matter who they are or what they do.

Right to Property

Property was extremely important during this time period. For centuries, only nobles and aristocrats were allowed to own property. Commoners often had to work very hard on the land, but since they didn’t own it, their money was often going to the noble who owned the land. Because of this, Locke talked about people having the right to own their own labor as a form of property.

Locke also talked about how each person’s body belongs to them. When someone uses their own body to create a good, they should have the right to benefit from that good.

Right to Rebellion

While Locke supported the idea of having a government and strong leaders to maintain order, he felt that the monarchy in England had become corrupt and abusive. If a government is not acting in harmony or in the best interest of the people it is meant to protect, then the people have the right to rebel against that government. The right and obligation to remove tyrants and abusive rulers from power is critical so that corrupt rulers don’t enslave humanity and shift them back into a state of war.

Government's Role in the State of Nature

Locke acknowledged that if we view people’s own bodies and work as their own property, things can quickly get messy. For example, if someone builds a house and there are multiple people working on it or providing ownership, who “owns” it? Locke concluded that government is needed to maintain order and create laws that would help clarify ownership to protect property. Without stability, conflicts about property will become violent and lead to war. Thus, government is necessary for setting laws to maintain order and peace in the state of nature.

Locke was concerned about governments growing too powerful and abusive. He supported a separated government that had separate branches that helped keep each other in check.

Two Treatises of Government and the American Revolution

The American Revolution started in 1775, almost one hundred years after the Two Treatises of Government were published. During that time, Locke's ideas traveled to France, and then eventually to the American colonies.

Abusive Monarchies and the Social Contract

Many of the issues that Locke wrote about with abusive monarchs and tyrants were still happening in the 18th century, but this time, it was the American colonies that were bearing the brunt rather than the British people. The complaints from the colonies about stiff taxes without even being able to vote or have representation in parliament reflected the idea that England was violating its social contract with the colonies.

Natural Rights Violations

The colonists felt their natural rights, especially the right to property and ownership of their own work, were being violated as well. When writing the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson specifically referenced the natural rights they believed were being violated, saying:

Right to Rebellion

Locke supported rebellions when rulers were becoming abusive and violating the people’s natural rights. Some colonists argued that they should remain loyal and obedient to British rule, much in the same way that Filmer argued that the divine right of kings should make everyone loyal to the crown in Patriarcha. Others used Locke's ideas to show that rebellion was acceptable and necessary in certain situations.

Branches of Government

One key feature of the US Government that aligns with Locke’s writings is the idea of a branched government. Locke believed that a branched government prevented one person or group from becoming too powerful, similar to a monarch. The Founding Fathers felt similarly and thus created a system of checks and balances to help keep government from becoming too powerful or tyrannical.