Men will unify from the state of nature not only for self preservation, comfort of living and living peacably, but for the securing thier properties. When man has made this transition from the state of nature into a communal, they must forfeit certain liberties and freedoms they enjoyed in the state of nature. " anyone divests himself of natural liberty and puts on the bonds of civil society...when men have so consented to make one community or government...one body politic...majority act and conclude as the rest" paragraph 95. Locke's basic discription of the democracy where actions are done "only by the will and determination of the majority". This is known as the orignal compact, where all submit to one another and agree that positive law, which impowers them, through the majority, determines the power of the whole.
Locke bounces from democracy to monarchy so frequently his ideas become a jumbled mess of seemingly incoherent thoughts. He addresses what appears to be his contemporary views of the unlikely creation of democracy in paragrah 100, and explains in fact that there have been successful governments framed with this idealogy. And through failure ultimately result in a monarchal form of government with respect to paternal authority.
The government has a simplistic utilitarian role fundamentaly the most basic concept of a true democracy. It is not cultivated though and quickly loses its power through lines of succession and the ability to secure those freedoms against an enemy, which the Bible supports as the Kings sole authority.
1 comment:
Matt,
Excellent summary of Locke. However, your objection (and what you're saying in general) at the end of this is not clear.
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