Overview
This lecture covers John Locke's essential ideas about equality, the state's role, and why government exists to protect individual rights.
Locke's Thought Experiment: The State of Nature
- Locke imagined a world with no kings or governments to illustrate challenges in upholding rights and resolving disputes.
- In the absence of government, individuals would find it difficult and inconvenient to enforce their rights or seek justice.
- Disputes between individuals could easily escalate to violence without neutral mechanisms for conflict resolution.
The Role of Third-Party Arbitration
- Locke argued it is more effective and fair to have independent, third-party mechanisms to resolve conflicts.
- The example of Bob and Adam demonstrates how lack of neutral arbitration can lead to violence over disputes.
- Introducing a neutral judge enables peaceful resolution based on established laws and facts.
The Emergence and Justification of the State
- Locke claimed the state emerged because people recognized the benefits of neutral arbitration over self-enforcement of rights.
- Government is justified only if it protects people's rights and resolves conflicts fairly.
- The same reasons for creating government—protection of rights—also justify limiting its power.
Key Terms & Definitions
- State of Nature — a hypothetical condition without any government or authority.
- Inconveniences — Locke’s term for the difficulties of self-enforcing justice and rights.
- Third-party Arbitration — using a neutral individual or institution to resolve disputes.
- Just Government — a government that protects individual rights and minimizes abuse of power.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the main functions and limits of government according to Locke.
- Reflect on examples where neutral arbitration resolves conflicts better than self-enforcement.
- No specific homework assigned; further reading available at EssentialJohnLocke.org.