John Locke's Second Treatise of Government - Annotated and Unabridged
By John Locke & Kevin TheisPublisher Description
In 1689, English philosopher John Locke - one of the most influential and brilliant writers of the Enlightenment period - published his book "Two Treatises of Government" anonymously.
In the first volume, Locke attacks the patriarchy, in particular the so-called "absolute power" of the monarchy. (It appears to have been a direct refutation of Robert Filmer's book "Patriarcha" and Thomas Hobbes' "Leviathan," both of which argued for the unquestioned power of kings.)
In the Second Treatise - presented here - Locke argues for a system of government based on the concepts of natural rights and contract theory, which places power in the hands of the governed and proposed a Parliamentary system that protects - rather than limits - the rights of the individual. While he did not go so far as to demand that England become a republic (thus removing the sovereign king entirely), he did propose a form of representational government where the people had a say in choosing their own rulers and could limit the power of the monarch.
A brilliant, controversial and, at times, contradictory piece (Locke appears to argue both for and against slavery, for example), "Second Treatise of Government" is now considered one of the most important and insightful pieces of political philosophy ever written.
It is presented here in its original and unabridged format, with annotations.
Download the free Fable app
Stay organized
Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.
Build a better TBR
Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building tool
Rate and review
Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tags
Curate your feed
Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesStay organized
Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.Build a better TBR
Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building toolRate and review
Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tagsCurate your feed
Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesNo Reviews
About John Locke
Other books by John Locke
Start a Book Club
Start a public or private book club with this book on the Fable app today!FAQ
Do I have to buy the ebook to participate in a book club?
Why can’t I buy the ebook on the app?
How is Fable’s reader different from Kindle?
Do you sell physical books too?
Are book clubs free to join on Fable?
How do I start a book club with this book on Fable?
Similar Books
