Second Treatise of Government

John Locke's foundational 1689 treatise arguing that government exists solely to protect the natural rights of life, liberty, and property. When government fails this purpose, the people have the… Read more

John Locke's foundational 1689 treatise arguing that government exists solely to protect the natural rights of life, liberty, and property. When government fails this purpose, the people have the right to replace it. Locke's ideas of consent of the governed, separation of powers, and popular sovereignty profoundly influenced the American Declaration of Independence and the development of constitutional democracy. Show less