Second Treatise of Government — cover

Second Treatise of Government

John Locke
Natural rights, consent of the governed and the right to revolution — influenced the US Constitution.

Why this book matters

The book that taught Jefferson how to write a revolution — Locke's Second Treatise remains the founding document of liberal democracy.

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Second Treatise of Government
John Locke · Chapter I: An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent and End of Civil Government
Free Audiobook · Chapter I: An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent and End of Civil Government 0:00 / —

Chapter I. AN ESSAY CONCERNING THE TRUE ORIGINAL, EXTENT AND END OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT Sect. 1. It having been shewn in the foregoing discourse, (<i>1</i>). That Adam had not, either by natural right of fatherhood, or by positive donation from God, any such…

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Table of contents

  1. PrefaceContents
  2. Chapter I: An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent and End of Civil GovernmentFree
  3. Chapter II: Of the State of NatureFree
  4. Chapter III: Of the State of WarFree
  5. Chapter IV: Of SlaveryFree
  6. Chapter V: Of PropertyFree
  7. Chapter VI: Of Paternal PowerFree
  8. Chapter VII: Of Political or Civil SocietyFree
  9. Chapter VIII: Of the Beginning of Political SocietiesFree
  10. Chapter IX: Of the Ends of Political Society and GovernmentFree
  11. Chapter X: Of the Forms of a Common-WealthFree
  12. Chapter XI: Of the Extent of the Legislative PowerFree
  13. Chapter XII: Of the Legislative, Executive, and Federative Power of the Common-WealthFree
  14. Chapter XIII: Of the Subordination of the Powers of the Common-WealthFree
  15. Chapter XIV: Of PrerogativeFree
  16. Chapter XV: Of Paternal, Political, and Despotical Power, Considered TogetherFree
  17. Chapter XVI: Of ConquestFree
  18. Chapter XVII: Of UsurpationFree
  19. Chapter XVIII: Of TyrannyFree
  20. Chapter XIX: Of the Dissolution of GovernmentFree

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