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Second Treatise on Government

Author:John Locke
URL: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7370
Source: Project Gutenberg
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  • Lifetime of John Locke(01/18/1689–02/10/1755)
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David Kidd on Dec 16, 2008
  1. What does Locke mean when he refers to a state of nature and natural rights?
Gabriel Martinez on Dec 16, 2008
  1. What does Locke mean by property? In what way are these three elements related?
  2. How is the right to individual property possible, if God gave the world to all humans to hold in common?
  3. What limits my ability to acquire property?
  4. What role does the rest of society have in the way that I acquire or dispose of my property? What role does government have? What responsibilities regarding my property do I have towards the rest of society?
Carolyn Garris on Dec 16, 2008

From Lee Trepainer's syllabus:

Chapters 1-13: What is the state of nature, the social contract and natural rights? What is the role of property in securing the social contract? What are the proper ends of government? What are the safeguards Locke proposes to prevent his government from becoming tyrannical? How do they compare to Aristotle's?

Chapters 14-19: Why does Locke distinguish among paternal, political, despotical, and prerogative powers? Under what conditions and basis can the government be dissolved?