Two Treatises of Government · Chapter
Of the Dissolution of Government explained
Locke distinguishes between the dissolution of society (by foreign conquest) and the dissolution of government (from within).
What happens
Locke distinguishes between the dissolution of society (by foreign conquest) and the dissolution of government (from within). He argues that when the legislative is altered or acts contrary to its trust—by invading property, imposing arbitrary power, or corrupting elections—the government is dissolved and the people have the right to resist, resume their original liberty, and establish a new legislative for their safety and security.
Themes in this chapter
Right to Revolution
Locke asserts that when the legislative or prince acts contrary to trust—invading property or imposing arbitrary power—the people are absolved from obedience and may resist, resume their liberty, and establish a new government.
Consent of the Governed
Government is founded on the people's consent; when the legislative is altered without popular appointment, laws lack authority and the people may constitute a new legislative.
Limited Government and Rule of Law
The legislative's power is limited to preserving property and liberty; acting arbitrarily or corrupting elections dissolves government and returns power to the people.
Property and Labor
The end of entering society is the preservation of property; when legislators invade property or reduce people to slavery under arbitrary power, they forfeit their trust.
Characters to notice
- Sir Robert Filmer
Locke implicitly refutes Filmer's patriarchal absolutism by arguing that no ruler has divine or hereditary right to arbitrary power; government is dissolved when rulers betray their trust.
Key passages
“Where there is no longer the administration of justice, for the securing of men’s rights, nor any remaining power within the community to direct the force, or provide for the necessities of the public; there certainly is no government left.”
If justice is not administered to protect rights and no authority exists to manage force or public needs, government has effectively ceased.
Locke defines the dissolution of government by the absence of justice and public direction.
“whenever the legislators endeavour to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any farther obedience”
If lawmakers try to seize property or enslave the people under arbitrary rule, they declare war on the people, who are then freed from any obligation to obey.
Locke justifies resistance when government violates its fundamental trust.
“Thus to regulate candidates and electors, and new-model the ways of election, what is it but to cut up the government by the roots, and poison the very fountain of public security?”
Manipulating elections and controlling who is chosen destroys the foundation of government and corrupts public safety.
Locke condemns executive interference in elections as a breach of trust that subverts the commonwealth.