# XIII: Of the Subordination of the Powers of the Commonwealth explained — Two Treatises of Government > Chapter companion for Two Treatises of Government by John Locke. ## What happens Locke argues that while the legislative power is supreme in a constituted commonwealth, it remains a fiduciary trust held by the people, who retain the ultimate authority to alter or remove the legislative if it acts against their preservation. He distinguishes between the legislative, executive, and federative powers, emphasizing that the executive is subordinate and accountable to the legislative, except when the executive shares in legislation. Locke also discusses the prerogative of the executive to convene and dissolve the legislative for the public good, and warns that using force without authority constitutes a state of war, justifying the people's right to resist. ## Themes in this chapter ### Consent of the Governed Locke emphasizes that the legislative power is a fiduciary trust derived from the people, who retain the supreme power to alter or remove it when it acts contrary to their trust. ### Limited Government and Rule of Law Locke argues that all governmental powers, including the executive, are subordinate to the legislative and bound by law; the executive's prerogative is limited to acting for the public good. ### Right to Revolution Locke asserts that when the legislative or executive uses force without authority against the people, it creates a state of war, and the people have the right to remove such power by force. ## Key lines > the legislative being only a fiduciary power to act for certain ends, there remains still 'in the people a supreme power to remove or alter the legislative,' when they find the legislative act contrary to the trust reposed in them Because the legislature holds power in trust for specific purposes, the people always retain the ultimate authority to replace or change the legislature if it violates that trust. _Locke establishes the people's sovereign right to depose a legislature that betrays its fiduciary duty._ > the true remedy of force without authority, is to oppose force to it The only proper response to unauthorized force is to resist it with force. _Locke justifies armed resistance against governmental tyranny as a natural right._ > the executive power, placed anywhere but in a person that has also a share in the legislative, is visibly subordinate and accountable to it, and may be at pleasure changed and displaced When the executive is separate from the legislature, it is clearly subordinate and can be removed or replaced at the legislature's discretion. _Locke emphasizes the legislative's supremacy over the executive, except when the executive participates in legislation._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/xiii-of-the-subordination-of-the-powers-of-the-commonwealth - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters