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John Locke

state of nature -- it has rules - don't kill, don't steal, use your stuff well, respect other’s life, liberty, and property, etc . . .-- but it is up to the individual to interpret that natural law and enforce it-- this can lead to problems as differing interpretations and ability to back it up leads to violence and insecurity

Social compact

-- so people join together to create a social compact to protect their lives, liberty and property - they do not give up these liberties when they join the compact but do give up the ability to interpret law on their own and the ability to enforce it

-- people are not born into the social compact but must explicitly join it when become old enough -- once they join this body politic they can't leave (but they can change governments)

-- The body politic creates a people and not a government -- but it does create a set of rules that have been unanimously agreed to -- the equivalent to our constitution -- these rules trump lesser laws made by the government

-- The "legislative" is a product of the social compact -- it is needed because there needs to be man-made laws to replace natural laws -- this "legislative" does not need to be democratic but must operate within the limits that the people have established within the social compact

-- The laws that the legislative creates is there to protect lives, liberty and property -- but the government can use lives, liberty and property so long as it is needed by the society and agreed upon by the majority

-- Locke believes in a strong government that is limited not by "rights" but by ends (the purpose of the government)

Revolution

-- But if government consistently("a long train of grievances") no longer protects those reasons why people formed the compact then the government has rebelled against the people.-- it has brought a state of war to its people

-- the people, so long as they are the majority, then have the right to destroy the government but not the body politic -- The Gov has the right to supress revolution so long as doing so represents the will of the people - the individual does not have the right to revolt, only the majority

-- Locke's goal is peace but with the constant possibility of war -- a warning to rulers -- Locke domesticates revolution -- it no longer destroys society just changes government while the polity remain

Important to note

-- Locke does not get us to America -- especially in the realm of individual liberties that would be immune to even majority will (free speech, press, etc)