Letters of Toleration

Epistemology

Two Treatises of Government

• Written by Locke (published anonymously) 
• Basis of Locke's political views
• Went against Robert Filmer who's belief was that monarchies were natural human order
• Divided into 2 Treatises 

Property

• Government's only responbility was to protect this
• Locke believed this is one of man's main investments since it was mixed with their own labor 
• Supposly existed before government

State of Nature

• Locke's main philosophical political view
• Human can act with any liberties in this (excepting harming others); based on natural human reason
• Government can punish those who abuse laws in this
• Supposly existed before writing
• Also called the "State of Perfect Freedom" 
• Brings in a Libertarian viewpoint 

Theory of Consent

This is how a governent is formed out of the State of Nature 

Requires 

• Pact of Assocation-agreement ot leave Nature
• Pact of Government-consent to choose government type
• Express Consent-constent to leave Nature
• Tassit-18 year olds have to consent to government if they want to stay in the country

Law of Nature

• Accommodates the State of Nature
• Moral commandments created by God-do not harm
• Bask in God's pleasure-not our own
• Human reason is god-given to percieve this
• Given natural rights with this

Formula for Limited Government

• Government cannot destroy life
• Cannot take away property
• Cannot rule for abitrary degrees
• Cannot make different laws for different citizens
• Cannot tax without representation
• Cannot transfer law-making power to unauthorized indiviuals 
• Cannot temper with elections
• Cannot abuse the trust 

• Citizens have the right to overthrow the governement if they are abusing their power
• Know as the Natural right of Revolution
• Abuse of power can only be dictated by high power
• Only the people can decided whether revolt is necessary or not