Political Writings : John Locke

by Locke, John; Wootton, David

• ISBN13: 9780872206762
• ISBN10: 0872206769
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-03-01
• Publisher: Hackett Pub Co Inc

Summary

John Locke's 'Second Treatise of Government' (c1681) is perhaps the key founding liberal text. 'A Letter Concerning Toleration', written in 1685 (a year when a Catholic monarch came to the throne of England and Louis XVI unleashed a reign of terror against Protestants in France), is a classic defence of religious freedom. Yet many of Locke's other writings -- not least the 'Constitutions of Carolina', which he helped draft -- are almost defiantly anti-liberal in outlook. This comprehensive collection brings together the main published works (excluding polemical attacks on other people's views) with the most important surviving evidence from among Locke's papers relating to his political philosophy. David Wootton's wide-ranging and scholarly Introduction sets the writings in the context of their time, examines Locke's developing ideas and unorthodox Christianity, and analyses his main arguments. The result is the first fully rounded picture of Locke's political thought in his own words.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	viii
Preface	1	(6)
Introduction	7	(1)
Locke's liberalism	7	(9)
Locke's life	16	(10)
Locke before Shaftesbury	26	(10)
Locke and Shaftesbury	36	(13)
Locke and Tyrrell	49	(15)
The First Treatise of Government	64	(13)
The Second Treatise of Government	77	(12)
Interlude: Seeds and trees, locks and ciphers	89	(5)
A Letter Concerning Toleration	94	(16)
Some more equal than others?	110	(9)
Notes	119	(4)
Suggestions for Further Reading	123	(8)
A Note on the Texts	131	(6)
Letter to S.H. [Henry Stubbe] (mid-September? 1659; published 1967)	137	(2)
Letter to Tom (20 October 1659; published 1976)	139	(2)
From: `Question: Whether the civil magistrate may lawfully impose and determine the use of indifferent things in reference to religious worship. Answer: Yes' (First Tract on Government, 1660; published 1961)	141	(5)
`Preface to the Reader' from the First Tract on Government (1661; published 1961)	146	(6)
`Question: Can the civil magistrate specify indifferent things to be included within the order of divine worship, and impose them upon the people? Answer: Yes' (Second Tract on Government, c. 1662; published 1961). Translated from the Latin	152	(25)
`Question: Is each man's private interest the foundation of the law of nature? Answer: No' (Essays on the Law of Nature, No. VIII, 1664; published 1954). Translated from the Latin	177	(7)
Letter to the Hon. Robert Boyle (12/22 December 1665; published 1744)	184	(2)
An Essay Concerning Toleration (1667; published 1876)	186	(24)
The Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina (1669; published c.1670)	210	(22)
`Philanthropy, or The Christian Philosophers' (1675; published 1972)	232	(2)
`Obligation of Penal Laws' (Journal, 25 February 1676; published 1829)	234	(2)
`Law' (Journal, 21 April 1678; published 1829)	236	(1)
`Credit, Disgrace' (Journal, 12 December 1678; published 1829)	236	(1)
`The Idea We Have of God' (Journal, 1 August 1680; published 1829)	237	(1)
`Inspiration' (Journal, 3 April 1681; published 1829)	238	(2)
`Virtus' (1681; from the 1661 Commonplace Book; published 1829)	240	(2)
From The First Treatise of Government (c. 1681, published 1689)	242	(17)
Chapter Five: Of Adam's Title to Sovereignty by the Subjection of Eve	242	(7)
Chapter Nine: Of Monarchy by Inheritance from Adam	249	(10)
`Two Sorts of Knowledge' (Journal, 26 June 1681; published 1829)	259	(2)
The Second Treatise of Government (c. 1681, published 1689)	261	(126)
Chapter One:	261	(1)
Chapter Two: Of the State of Nature	262	(7)
Chapter Three: Of the State of War	269	(3)
Chapter Four: Of Slavery	272	(1)
Chapter Five: Of Property	273	(13)
Chapter Six: Of Paternal Power	286	(14)
Chapter Seven: Of Political or Civil Society	300	(9)
Chapter Eight: Of the Beginning of Political Societies	309	(15)
Chapter Nine: Of the Ends of Political Society and Government	324	(3)
Chapter Ten: Of the Forms of a Commonwealth	327	(1)
Chapter Eleven: Of the Extent of the Legislative Power	328	(7)
Chapter Twelve: Of the Legislative, Executive, and Federative Power of the Commonwealth	335	(2)
Chapter Thirteen: Of the Subordination of the Powers of the Commonwealth	337	(7)
Chapter Fourteen: Of Prerogative	344	(5)
Chapter Fifteen: Of Paternal, Political, and Despotical Power Considered Together	349	(3)
Chapter Sixteen: Of Conquest	352	(10)
Chapter Seventeen: Of Usurpation	362	(1)
Chapter Eighteen: Of Tyranny	363	(6)
Chapter Nineteen: Of the Dissolution of Government	369	(18)
Letter to Edward Clarke (27 January/6 February 1685; published 1927)	387	(3)
A Letter Concerning Toleration, trans. William Popple (1685; published 1689)	390	(46)
Letter to Edward Clarke (29 January/8 February 1689; published 1927)	436	(2)
Preface to Two Treatises of Government (written and published 1689)	438	(2)
`Labour' (1693; from the 1661 Commonplace Book; published 1991)	440	(2)
`Venditio' (1695; from the 1661 Commonplace Book; published 1968)	442	(4)
Draft of a Representation Containing a Scheme of Methods for the Employment of the Poor. Proposed by Mr Locke, the 26th October 1697 (published 1789)	446	(16)
Bibliography	462	(9)
Index	471