POLS 1002 Lecture 12: ch 9-14 = John Locke, Second Treatise on Civil Government
Document Summary
Because all problems are due to human nature, humans are flawed and imperfect creatures. Ex. man with a broken foot, doesn"t want to work and steals neighbor"s food. There is no impartial judge, partial individuals missapply the lon (too far for themselves, not far enough for others) Continued example, the neighbor goes to the thief and tries to execute natural law, demands reparations. Has a right to execute natural law, but has taken it too far. There is often no executive force, individuals might be too weak to execute the. Son (self-preservation) versus civil society (new power = make new laws) Locke believes that social contract has us obey, a legal obligation. Signatories to the social contract exchange freedom for security. The subject in a civil society has less freedom than an individual in the son, but they were more secure to enjoy those freedoms, there must be a trade off.
