Today we share the words of John Locke (1632-1704) from his famous work ‘Two Treatises Of Government’, which was originally published in 1689. John Locke was an influential philosopher especially known for his ideas on empiricism, natural rights, and social contract theory.
A Top Level Review Of ‘Two Treatises Of Government’
‘Two Treatises of Government’ by John Locke is a significant work in political philosophy. The first treatise argues against the concept of the divine right of kings and in favor of the idea that political authority is derived from the consent of the governed. The second treatise delves into the principles of natural rights, social contract theory, and the limitations of governmental power. Key philosophies from John Locke’s ‘Two Treatises of Government’ include:
Natural Rights – Locke believed in empiricism, that all knowledge comes from experience and that individuals are born with a blank slate, and asserted that, as a result, individuals have inherent natural rights to life, liberty, and property that, although not granted by the government, are fundamental to human existence and should be protected by the government.
Social Contract Theory – Locke discussed the idea of a social contract between the government and the governed, where the legitimacy of the government is based on the consent of the people it governs, and argued that, if a government violates the natural rights of its citizens and fails to uphold its end of the social contract, the people have the right to rebel and establish a new government that better protects their rights.
Limited Government – Locke advocated for a government with limited powers, emphasizing the need to protect individual rights and prevent tyranny by restricting the authority of the ruling body. Locke also advocated for religious toleration and believed in the importance of allowing individuals to hold diverse beliefs without interference from the state. Further, Locke suggested that a separation of powers within the government was essential in order to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful and potentially infringing on the rights of the people.
Quotes From ‘Two Treatises Of Government’
Quotes are organized by topic and excerpted from an unidentified translation of the Old English into a more modern format. On detailed comparison to the Lawbook Exchange edition of ‘Two Treatises’, published in 2010, the two are identical in grammatical structure – only the Old English elements have been modified, and not one line has been subtracted from the unidentified translation. In any case, John Locke having organized ‘Two Treatises’ into many small sections makes an easy task of locating the following quotes in whatever edition of his famous work you choose for your DYOR.
Groups
“… as we are not by ourselves sufficient to furnish ourselves with competent store of things, needful for such a life as our nature doth desire, a life fit for the dignity of man; therefore to supply those defects and imperfections which are in us, as living single and solely by ourselves, we are naturally induced to seek communion and fellowship with others: this was the cause of men’s uniting themselves at first in politic societies.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 2 – Of the State of Nature – Sec 15
“GOD having made man such a creature, that in his own judgment, it was not good for him to be alone, put him under strong obligations of necessity, convenience, and inclination to drive him into society, as well as fitted him with understanding and language to continue and enjoy it. The first society was between man and wife, which gave beginning to that between parents and children…” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 7 – Of Political or Civil Society – Sec 77
“The only way whereby any one divests himself of his natural liberty, and puts on the bonds of civil society, is by agreeing with other men to join and unite into a community for their comfortable, safe, and peaceable living one amongst another, in a secure enjoyment of their properties, and a greater security against any, that are not of it.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 8 – Of the Beginning of Political Societies – Sec 95
Liberty
“In the races of mankind and families in the world, there remains not to one above another…” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 1 – Sect 1
“… no body can desire to have me in his absolute power, unless it be to compel me by force to that which is against the right of my freedom, i.e. make me a slave. To be free from such force is the only security of my preservation; and reason bids me look on him, as an enemy to my preservation, who would take away that freedom which is the fence to it; so that that he who makes an attempt to enslave me, thereby puts himself into a state of war with me.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 3 – Of the State of War – Sec 17
“… freedom from absolute, arbitrary power, is so necessary to, and closely joined with a man’s preservation, that he cannot part with it, but by what forfeits his preservation and life together…” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 4 – Of Slavery – Sec 23
“But though every man who has entered into civil society, and is become a member of any commonwealth, has thereby quitted his power to punish offences, against the law of nature, in prosecution of his own private judgment, yet with the judgment of offences, which he has given up to the legislative to all cases… he has given a right to the common-wealth to employ his force, for the execution of the judgements of the common-wealth, whenever he shall be called to it; which indeed are his own judgments, they being made by himself, or his representative.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 7 – Of Political or Civil Society – Sec 85
Social Capital
“… equality of men by nature [is] the foundation of that obligation to mutual love amongst men, on which… builds the duties they owe one another, and from whence… derives the great maxims of justice and charity… natural inducement hath brought men to know that it is no less their duty, to love others than themselves…” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 2 – Of the State of Nature – Sec 5
“Wherein one cannot but admire the wisdom of the great Creator, who having given to man foresight, and an ability to lay up for the future, as well as to supply the present necessity, hath made it necessary, that society of man and wife should be more lasting, than of male and female amongst other creatures; that so their industry might be encouraged, and their interest better united, to make provision and lay up goods for their common issue, which uncertain mixture, or easy and frequent solutions of conjugal society would mightily disturb.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 7 – Of Political or Civil Society – Sec 80
“… the people, who are more disposed to suffer than right themselves by resistance, are not apt to stir. The examples of particular injustice, or oppression of here and there an unfortunate man, moves them not.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 19 – Of the Dissolution of Government – Sec 230
Sovereignty
“… he will not give just occasion to think that all government in the world is the product only of force and violence, and that men live together by no other rules but that of beasts, where the strongest carries it, and so lay a foundation for perpetual disorder and mischief, tumult, sedition and rebellion, must of necessity find out another rise of government, another original of political power, and another way of designing and knowing the person that have it…” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 1 – Sect 1
“POLITICAL POWER, then, i take to be a RIGHT of making laws with penalties of death, and consequently all less penalties, for the regulating and preserving of property, and of employing the force of the community, in the execution of such laws, and in the defence of the common-wealth from foreign injury; and all this only for the public good.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 1 – Sect 3
“… God hath certainly appointed government to restrain the partiality and violence of men… civil government is the proper remedy for the inconveniencies of the state of nature, which must certainly be great, where men may be judges in their own case, since it is easy to be imagined, that he who was so unjust as to do his brother an injury, will scarce be so just as to condemn himself for it…” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 2 – Of the State of Nature – Sec 13
“TO understand political power right, and derive it from it original, we must consider, what state all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions, and persons, as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature, without asking leave, or depending upon the will of any other man. A state also of equality, wherein all the power and jurisdiction is reciprocal, no one having more than another… equal one amongst another without subordination or subjection…” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 2 – Of the State of Nature – Sec 4
“THE natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth, and not to be under the will or legislative authority of man, but to have only the law of nature for his rule.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 4 – Of Slavery – Sec 22
“… civil society; the chief end whereof is the preservation of property.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 7 – Of Political or Civil Society – Sec 85
“No man in civil society can be exempted from the laws of it…” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 7 – Of Political or Civil Society – Sec 94
“… to live by one man’s will, became the cause of all men’s misery. This constrained them to come unto laws, wherein all men might see their duty beforehand, and know the penalties of transgressing them.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 7 – Of Political or Civil Society – Sec 94
”And so whoever has the legislative or supreme power of any common-wealth, is bound to govern by established standing laws, promulgated and known to the people… And all this to be directed to no other end, but the peace, safety, and public good of the people.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 9 – Of the Ends of Political Society and Government – Sec 131
“THE legislative power is that, which has a right to direct how the force of the common-wealth shall be employed for preserving the community and the members of it… And because it may be too great a temptation to human frailty, apt to grasp at power, for the same persons, who have the power of making laws, to have also in their hands the power to execute them, whereby they may exempt themselves from obedience to the laws they make… the legislative power is put into the hands of divers persons…” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 12 – Of the Legislative, Executive, and Federative Power of the Common-wealth – Sec 143
“… conquerors swords often cut up governments by the roots, and mangle societies to pieces…” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 19 – Of the Dissolution of Government – Sec 211
“The end of government is the good of mankind…” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 19 – Of the Dissolution of Government – Sec 229
“… it is lawful for the people, in some cases, to resist their king…” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 19 – Of the Dissolution of Government – Sec 232
“… when by the miscarriages of those in authority, [power] is forfeited; upon the forfeiture, or at the determination of the time set, it reverts to the society, and the people have a right to act as supreme, and continue the legislative in themselves; or erect a new form, or under the old form place it in new hands, as they think good.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 19 – Of the Dissolution of Government – Sec 243
Trust
“The liberty of man, in society, is to be under no other legislative power, but that established, by consent, in the commonwealth; nor under the dominion of any will, or restraint of any law, but what that legislative shall enact, according to the trust put in it.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 4 – Of Slavery – Sec 22
“…those, who like one another so well as to join into society, cannot but be supposed to have some acquaintance and friendship together, and some trust one in another…” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 8 – Of the Beginning of Political Societies – Sec 107
“The legislature acts against the trust reposed in them, when they endeavor to invade the property of the subject, and to make themselves, or any part of the community, masters, or arbitrary disposers of the lives, liberties, our fortunes of the people.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 19 – Of the Dissolution of Government – Sec 221
“… concerning the legislative in general, holds true also concerning the supreme executor, who having a double trust put in him, both to have a part in the legislative, and the supreme execution of the law, acts against both, when he goes about to set up his own arbitrary will as the law of the society. He acts also contrary to his trust, when he either employs the force, treasure, and offices of the society, to corrupt the representatives, and gain them to his purposes; or to openly preengages the electors… who have promised before-hand what to vote, and what to enact.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 19 – Of the Dissolution of Government – Sec 222
“What power they ought to have in the society, who thus employ it contrary to the trust went along with it in its first institution, is easy to determine; and one cannot but see, that he, who has once attempted any such thing as this, cannot any longer be trusted.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 19 – Of the Dissolution of Government – Sec 222
“The people shall be judge; for who shall be judge whether his trustee or deputy acts well, and according to the trust reposed in him, but he who deputes him, and must, by having deputed him, have still a power to discard him, when he fails in his trust?” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 19 – Of the Dissolution of Government – Sec 240
Virtues
“Slavery is so vile and miserable a State of Man, and so directly opposite to the generous Temper and Courage of our Nation; that ‘tis hardly to be conceived, that an Englishman, much less a Gentleman, should plead for it.” – Book 1 – The False Principles and Foundation Of Sir Robert Filmer, And His Followers, Are Detected and Overthrown – Chapter 1 – Sec 1
“… for truth and keeping of faith belongs to men, as men, and not as members of society.” – Book 2 – An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government – Chapter 2 – Of the State of Nature – Sec 14
Final Thoughts
John Locke’s revolutionary ideas about natural rights, government by consent, and the social contract didn’t just influence the American Revolution and the founding of democratic nations—they remain the bedrock principles upon which free societies stand today.
Perhaps most importantly, Locke reminds us that government exists to serve the people, not the other way around. His assertion that “The end of government is the good of mankind” is a principle to which every citizen should hold their leaders accountable. In an era of increasing political polarization and institutional distrust, Locke’s emphasis on the social contract—that mutual agreement between citizens to form a society for their collective benefit—offers a path forward through shared purpose, rather than division.
These quotes also challenge us to think deeply about our own responsibilities as citizens. If we truly believe in self-sovereignty and natural rights, then we must also accept the duty to protect these principles for others. As Locke understood, freedom isn’t just an individual possession—it’s a collective achievement that requires constant vigilance and mutual respect.
In sharing these words today, we’re not just preserving historical philosophy; we’re keeping alive ideas that remain essential to human flourishing. Whether you’re a student of political theory, a concerned citizen, or simply someone interested in the foundations of modern democracy, Locke’s insights offer both wisdom and warning. They remind us where we’ve come from, what we’ve achieved, and what we must continue to defend.
Thanks for reading!