Second Treatise of Government (Deluxe Library Edition)

<p>The <em>Second Treatise of Government</em> outlines John Locke's theory of civil society. Locke begins by describing the state of nature and argues that all men are created equal in the state of nature by God. From this he goes on to explain the hypothetical rise of property and civilization in the process explaining that the only legitimate governments are those that have the consent of the people. Therefore any government that rules without the consent of the people can in theory be overthrown.</p><p>The work of Thomas Hobbes made theories based upon a state of nature popular in 17th-century England even as most of those who employed such arguments were deeply troubled by his absolutist conclusions. Locke's state of nature can be seen in light of this tradition. There is not and never has been any divinely ordained monarch over the entire world Locke argues. However the fact that the natural state of humanity is without an institutionalized government does not mean it is lawless. Human beings are still subject to the laws of God and nature.</p>