John Locke's Two Treaties Of Civil Government

John Locke is a philosopher who strongly believed that a government should function to protect its citizens. His belief differed from that of another prominent philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, who argued that the government functions to tell the people what to do. Even more, the failure of a government to instruct people will lead to more conflict between members of society. Thus, Locke’s perception of the government is that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that the people’s natural rights are protected. There should not be any substance of hierarchy or divinity rule, because this could potentially fail to protect and defend people living under the government. A government should not be tyrannical; instead, it should be civil. In his writing Two Treaties of Civil Government, Locke explained how the government must work to provide …show more content…
Furthermore, he believed tyranny encourages people to rebel against the government. However, people have the right to rebel in this way if they feel their rights have been violated and abused. They are able to stand up against the government because they believe the government has failed to fulfill its responsibilities. When examining human nature closely, Locke concluded that, by nature, human beings are social animals. Furthermore, humans also know the difference between right and wrong. This allows us to create rules through which we can govern conflicts between each other. It is also human nature for people to keep their responsibilities and obligations intact. As a result, people are able to maintain peace and harmony to a certain extent. It is only when promises are broken, and obligations are thrown out the door that conflicts arise. In Locke’s view of the government and human nature, peace is something that is normal. Human beings have the ability to live together and to refrain from doing what is unlawful or