Locke

The Dissolution of Government

Conditional Government

Locke says that the power of government isLimitedDividedConditional

What does it mean if a government is conditional?

Conditional Government

Locke says that the power of government isLimitedDividedConditional

What does it mean if a government is conditional?

That people have a right to replace it if it fails.

Conditional Government

Locke says that the power of government isLimitedDividedConditional

What does it mean if a government is conditional?

That people have a right to replace it if it fails.

What is it to replace it?

Conditional Government

Locke says that the power of government isLimitedDividedConditional

What does it mean if a government is conditional?

That people have a right to replace it if it fails.

What is it to replace it?

Revolution. Probably violent.

Conditions for Revolution

Under what conditions does Locke say that we are allowed to dissolve government?

Actually, Locke turns this question on it's head...

Conditions for Dissolution

Under what conditions does Locke say that we are allowed to dissolve government?

Actually, Locke turns this question on it's head...

According to Locke, revolutions are justified against authorities that people never consented to. The are instigated when the legislative changes. When this happens, the people have no obligation to obey and may chose revolution.

According to Locke, governments are the first aggressors in the revolution.

Conditions for Dissolution

For Locke, revolution is but one form of dissolution of government.

Dissolution of government is the general case of government failing.

Conditions for Dissolution

For Locke, revolution is but one form of dissolution of government.

Dissolution of government is the general case of government failing.

A government dissolves when the legislative is altered, i.e., teh proceedure for producing laws that guide conduct in the society ceases to be the one that people consented to.

Conditions for Dissolution

"First, when a single person, or prince, sets up his own abitrary will in place of the laws, which are the will of the society, declared by the legislative, the the legislative is changed." (214)

Conditions for Dissolution

"Secondly, when the prince hinders the legislativefrom assemlbing in its due time, or from acting freely, pursuant to those ends for which it was constituted, the legislative is dissolved." (215)

Conditions for Dissolution

"Thirdly, when, by the arbitrary power of the prince, the electors, or ways of election, are altered, without the consent, and contrary to the common interest of the people, there also the legislative is altered." (216)

"Fourthly, the delivery also of the people into the subjection of a foreign power, either by the prince, or by the legislative, is certainly a change of legislative."

Conditions for Dissolution

For Locke, any change in the substance of the law making process without the consent of the people changes the government, and thereby makes it illegitimate. An illegitimate government is one against which people are allowed to rebel.

Furthermore....

"...the state of mankind is not so miserable that they are not capable of using this remedy till it be too late to look for any."

Furthermore....

"...the state of mankind is not so miserable that they are not capable of suing this remedy till it be too late to look for any."

What does this mean?

Furthermore....

"...the state of mankind is not so miserable that they are not capable of suing this remedy till it be too late to look for any."

What does this mean?

That the legislative does not need to change before rejection of government is justified, i.e., revolution can occur before the legislative is altered.

Furthermore....

If the legislative acts contrary to their trust, the legislative is dissolved.

What is the "trust" that is being talked about here?

Furthermore....

If the legislative acts contrary to their trust, the legislative is dissolved.

What is the "trust" that is being talked about here?

It's the trust of creating a society preferable to the state of nature, securing our property, and delivering known, settled law, thrid-party judges, and an executive to enforce the law.

Conditions for Dissolution

Locke also mentions governments that fail to perform their tasks of securing us a life better than in the state of nature:"Whensoever therefore the legislative shall transgress this fundamental rule of society; and either by ambition, fear, folly or corruption, endeavour to grasp themselves, or put into the hands of any other, an absolute power over the lives, liberties, and estates of the people; by this breach of trust they forfeit the power the people had put into their hands for quite contrary ends, and it devolves to the people, who have a right to resume their original liberty, and, by the establishment of a new legislative" (222)

Who Judges the Call for Revolution

Who determines when a Government has justified a revolution by the people?

The people judge.

The big problem for Locke

The big problem for Locke's view of revolution is this:

"This hypothesis lays ferment for frequent rebellion."

First, no government is perfect: all government will occasionally transgress, delivering law against the common good or changing itself procedures of legislation without consent.

Second: "the people being ignorant and always discontented, [this lays] the foundation of government in the unsteady opinion and uncertain humour or the people, [and] is to expose it to certain ruin."

The big problem for Locke

Locke has two responses: First, people aren't nearly so apt to engage in the difficult and dangerous process of revolution as this suggests. People are slow to change their ways.Second, people don't rebel at the slightest breach, but only when failures and corruptions are systemic, when "a long train of abuses, prevarications, and artifices, all tending the same way, make the design visible to the people."