John Locke s Second Treatise Of Government - 1322 Words

John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government is one of the most influential works in the modern political canon. In the wake of the English Civil War and the Glorious Revolution, Locke analyzes the origins and duties of government. Locke’s ideas of inalienable rights and natural equality are the classical enunciation of liberalism. His writings have impacted political institutions across the globe, including the American Constitution. In this paper, I will argue that, although Locke’s conception of property rights is not realized in current American environmental policy, his ideas could be realistically implemented. Locke’s ideas on government focus primarily on the role of property. All men are born in a state of natural equality (Locke,†¦show more content†¦However, the structure of American ecological property rights directly threatens Locke’s tenets of property. Environmental policy in the United States allows manufacturers and industrial plants to routinely release toxic chemicals into the environment, endangering the lives, health, and by extension, liberty and labor, of citizens. In 1972, Congress passed the Clean Waters Act, and in 1990, Congress re-wrote the Clean Waters Act to further regulate air pollution. Although noble in purpose, this legislation has been only partially implemented and haphazardly enforced. President Obama, recognizing the dangers of toxic waste, implemented the Clean Water Rules, a series of executive orders designed to remove mercury from sewage, limit the release of arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium from power plants, control pesticide leakage, and prohibit the dumping of coal waste into bodies of water (Gleick). However, President Trump has acted to rescind all of these protections. This action threatens Americans, predominantly those in poor and urban areas, and violates Locke’s theory of property protection by endangering the lives of thousands of citizens. President Trump’s policies most directly threaten property by facilitating the release of mercury and pesticides. Scott Pruitt, President Trump’s appointed leader of the EPA, announced the agency’s decision to cancel Obama-era regulations designed to limit levels of mercury in urban water. Typically, mercury enter theShow MoreRelatedJohn Locke s The Second Treatise Of Civil Government977 Words   |  4 PagesMadeline Boche Dr. Thorn Philosophy 1301.040 24 March 2017 John Locke’s The Second Treatise of Civil Government In John Locke’s The Second Treatise of Civil Government, Locke discusses what the moral state of nature is and rejects the idea of a â€Å"divine right of kings.† John Locke was a product of the best schools in England and had a heavy impact on Western thought through his writings. As a Christ Church graduate, Locke largely discusses in his writings the state of nature, the concept of naturalRead MoreJohn Locke s The Second Treatise Of Government918 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Locke’s ‘The Second Treatise of Government’, is a book which narrates his key ideologies, helping to underscore the primary reason for being regarded as the â€Å"father of Classical Liberalism†. Classical Liberalism, although having been on the rise for some time, was given its concrete foundation by Locke. Essentially, in his text, Locke conveys his interpretation of what certain aspects of classical liberalism, such as liberty, property, and entail. A fundamental principle of Locke’s book isRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke s Leviathan And Second Treatise Of Government1852 Words   |  8 PagesHobbes vs. Locke This paper will compare and contrast the beliefs of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke expressed in Leviathan and Second Treatise of Government. The paper will show the basic differences between the two philosophers views, is Hobbes distrust of the people and Locke s relatively greater trust of the people and distrust of the government s power and the likelihood of the abuse of that power. Hobbes view in Leviathan aims at ensuring civil order, which means for him the absolute powerRead MoreThe Enlightenment Theory Of John Locke1627 Words   |  7 PagesEnlightenment theory philosophies of John Locke offered a future that could drastically change government, economic and social ideals. Thomas Jefferson borrowed liberally from the enlightenment theory from John Locke, specifically focusing on Locks theories of the equality of men, natural rights, and that people should have a say on how the government treated people. Jefferson created a draft document created a bold experiment, America. 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In the Second Treatise of Government, John Locke discusses the move from a state of nature and perfect freedom to a then governed society in which authority is given to a legislative and executive power. His major ideas included liberalism and capitalism, state of nature, state of war and the desire to protect one’s property. In his Second Treatise on Government Locke focus’ on liberalism capitalismRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke1346 Words   |  6 PagesContracts Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were two English political philosophers, who have had a lasting impact on modern political science. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke both spent much of their lives attempting to identify the best form of government. Locke and Hobbes were among the most prominent of theorists when it came to social contract and human rights. A Social Contract is an agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, are the two basic figuresRead MoreThe Democratic Republic Which The People Of The Usa Live Under Today1665 Words   |  7 Pagesexample of a political text written to convey the ideals of government. Similarly two historically significant texts, The Federalist No.10 written by James Madison in 1787 addressed to the state of New York and The Second Treatise of Government by John Locke ( an English philosopher) in 1689 make complex assertions about the fundamentals of a government. While Madison and Locke make hea vily similar claims on the importance of government in the protection of its members as well as the tenacious emphasisRead MoreThe Enlightenment Ideas Of The American Revolution1423 Words   |  6 PagesRevolution People in America were mad and broke. The colonies did not like the idea of paying high taxes to the King of England. In order to show their rage and anger, they did it by not paying taxes. The King of England was frustrated by the colonist s action and send an army to the Americas to sort this problem out. However, the people of America wanted to be free from England, so with the help of the Enlightenment thinkers and the philosophers, they started an attack to the English soldiers. ThatRead MoreJohn Locke s Theory Of Religious Tolerance884 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Locke, a 17th century English philosopher is remembered for his great contributions to three issues that was important during his time and still concerns us today. The three topics Locke covered during his lifetime was how to handle people with different religion, determining who should rule, and how to educate our children. Locke developed theories from the three topics because they played a central role in his life. Religion politics and education influence Locke s writing and because of