POLS 250 Study Guide - Final Guide: Absolute Monarchy, Liberty, Legislature

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Political Studies
• Course: POLS 250
• Professor: Andrew D Lister

Document Summary

Locke the second treatise of government, ch. What is naturally best for self and others. Limits war and increases security: natural liberty is right to be ruled only by natural law; social liberty only by legislative power consented to in commonwealth, fundamentally all of locke"s ideas rest on right to personal liberty. It is impossible to volunteer for slavery: freedom from arbitrary power is too fundamental/do not have power to destroy own life: the only legitimate slavery is an extension of state of war: a captive aggressor. Locke believes that when youth have developed reason they should become their own masters, as such the political power cannot be paternal: locke equates monarchies to paternal societies, suggesting them to likewise not possess political authority. The monarch can impinge on property and welfare, the people lack comfort, protection and incentive, and therefore the system suffers. No individual should be above the authority of the system.