Two Treatises of Government · Chapter
VI: Of Paternal Power explained
Locke distinguishes paternal power from political power, arguing that parental authority is temporary and based on the duty to nurture children, not on absolute dominion.
What happens
Locke distinguishes paternal power from political power, arguing that parental authority is temporary and based on the duty to nurture children, not on absolute dominion. He critiques the term 'paternal power' as misleading, proposing 'parental power' to include mothers. Locke explains that children are born free but under temporary subjection to parents, and that fathers' political authority historically arose from tacit consent, not inherent right.
Themes in this chapter
Critique of Patriarchalism and Divine Right
Locke argues that paternal power is not absolute or political, and that the term 'paternal' wrongly excludes mothers, undermining patriarchal claims to monarchy.
State of Nature and Social Contract
Locke describes how fathers' authority in families arose from tacit consent of children, not natural right, illustrating the social contract.
Natural Rights and Liberty
Locke asserts that children are born free and equal, and that parental power is temporary, based on the child's need for care.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“But these two powers, political and paternal, are so perfectly distinct and separate, are built upon so different foundations, and given to so different ends, that every subject that is a father, has as much a paternal power over his children, as the prince has over his: and every prince, that has parents, owes them as much filial duty and obedience, as the meanest of his subjects do to theirs; and cannot therefore contain any part or degree of that kind of dominion which a prince or magistrate has over his subjects.”
Political and paternal power are completely different in foundation and purpose; a father's authority over his children is the same whether he is a subject or a prince, and a prince owes his parents the same respect as any subject, so paternal power cannot include the dominion of a ruler over subjects.
Locke emphasizes the separation of paternal and political authority.
“Children, I confess, are not born in this state of equality, though they are born to it. Their parents have a sort of rule and jurisdiction over them, when they come into the world, and for some time after; but it is but a temporary one.”
Children are not born with full equality, but they are destined for it; parents have temporary authority over them only during their early years.
Locke explains the temporary nature of parental authority.
“Thus it was easy, and almost natural for children, by a tacit, and scarce avoidable consent, to make way for the father's authority and government.”
Children naturally and almost unavoidably gave tacit consent for their father to become their ruler.
Locke describes the origin of political authority through consent.