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John Locke's Dissolution Of Government Essay

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In John Locke’s Second Treatise on Civil Government, he argues for his vision of society that has a small and restrained consent-driven government that respects the rights of its inhabitants. Locke might be best known for his unbounding aspirations of productivity and theory of a government being based on the consent of the governed, yet one of his most intriguing theories revolve around when citizens can rise up and dissolve a government. This is an essential theme of the treatise, and Locke addresses it at the end with a strong defense. While Locke strives to find harmony in his consent driven society, he opens the door to many more revolutions and constant change that he would hope to avoid for the benefit of the society and of the people. …show more content…
Locke is very clear on this question, but it leads to trouble and tension with his previous statements. Locke says “the people shall be judge” (386). Locke argues that while individuals have given up their right to rebel, the collective mass of people in the society that has given their consent has the right to judge the legislature or king of the land. This view sets a dangerous precedent that disregards everything that was a defense of the theory in the previous sections of the treatise. If the people can determine when an action is against the people, numerous revolutions will occur. It is not difficult for collective action to spill over into a total rejection of a state action. People are easily galvanized to action even under small provocations. This straw undermines the previous defenses of his theory. People are keen to overreact and exaggerate “every little mismanagement in public affairs” when it is their liberty on the line (376). Never before had the people been given so much power over a legislature or ruler, and this power would surely corrupt the populace with a thirst for vengeance. The people would call for revolution after revolution, because the power that Locke provides vests them with the final protection of their rights and

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