EPZ Locke's 'Second Treatise of Government' A Reader's Guide

by Kelly, Paul

• ISBN13: 9780826492661
• ISBN10: 0826492665
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781441144188
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-01-29
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

Continuum's Reader's Guides are clear, concise and accessible introductions to classic works of philosophy. Each book explores the major themes, historical and philosophical context and key passages of a major philosophical text, guiding the reader towards a thorough understanding of often demanding material. Ideal for undergraduate students, the guides provide an essential resource for anyone who needs to get to grips with a philosophical text.

Author Biography

Paul Kelly is Professor of Political Theory at the London School of Economics, UK

Table of Contents

Key Text	p. 1
Locke's Second Treatise in Context	p. 2
The life and times of John Locke	p. 2
The political and philosophical context of the Second Treatise	p. 6
Overview and Key Themes	p. 13
The Second Treatise in Locke's philosophy	p. 13
Key themes	p. 19
Reading the Text	p. 21
Getting started - the problem of absolutism	p. 21
From the First Treatise to the Second Treatise	p. 22
The State of Nature	p. 26
Equality	p. 29
Freedom	p. 33
The Law of Nature	p. 36
Right and duty to punish - Executive power of the Law of Nature	p. 40
Natural Rights	p. 44
State of Nature, history and realism	p. 51
The State of War and slavery	p. 53
War	p. 54
Slavery	p. 56
Private property	p. 60
Self-ownership	p. 64
Original acquisition	p. 68
World ownership and equality	p. 72
The invention of money	p. 77
Property and colonial acquisition	p. 79
Patriarchal power and the family	p. 81
The status of children	p. 82
The duty of parents and the role of the family	p. 85
The obligations of children and parents	p. 87
The conjugal or sexual contract	p. 90
The origins of political society	p. 95
The original contract	p. 96
The second stage agreement and the role of majorities	p. 101
The problem of consent	p. 104
The Lockean state	p. 112
Legislative power	p. 115
Executive power	p. 117
Prerogative	p. 120
Conquest, tyranny and the dissolution of the state	p. 122
Conquest	p. 124
Usurpation	p. 127
Tyranny, rebellion and resistance	p. 128
When to rebel and resist?	p. 132
Reception and Influence	p. 138
Locke's influence in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries	p. 138
History, religion and Locke - contemporary interpretations Locke	p. 143
Locke, property and contemporary liberalism	p. 149
Notes	p. 153
Further Reading	p. 156
Bibliography	p. 158
Index	p. 161
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