The Political Thought of John Locke: An Historical Account of the Argument of the 'Two Treatises of Government'This study provides a comprehensive reinterpretation of the meaning of Locke's political thought. John Dunn restores Locke's ideas to their exact context, and so stresses the historical question of what Locke in the Two Treatises of Government was intending to claim. By adopting this approach, he reveals the predominantly theological character of all Locke's thinking about politics and provides a convincing analysis of the development of Locke's thought. In a polemical concluding section, John Dunn argues that liberal and Marxist interpretations of Locke's politics have failed to grasp his meaning. Locke emerges as not merely a contributor to the development of English constitutional thought, or as a reflector of socio-economic change in seventeenth-century England, but as essentially a Calvinist natural theologian. |
Contents
INTRODUCTION JOHN LOCKE IN HISTORY THE PROBLEMS | 5 |
THE DEVELOPING MIND | 11 |
THE ESSAYS ON THE LAW OF NATURE | 19 |
THE ESSAY ON TOLERATION | 27 |
PART 2 | 41 |
THE TWO TREATISES AND EXCLUSION | 43 |
SIR ROBERT FILMER | 58 |
LOCKE AND HOBBES | 77 |
PUBLIC GOOD AND REASON OF STATE | 157 |
THE CONDITIONS FOR LEGITIMATE RESISTANCE | 165 |
THE LAW OF NATURE | 187 |
PART 4 | 201 |
THE COHERENCE OF A MIND 1 | 203 |
THE COHERENCE OF A MIND 2 | 214 |
THE COHERENCE OF A MIND 3 | 229 |
PART 5 | 243 |
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The Political Thought of John Locke: An Historical Account of the Argument ... John Dunn Limited preview - 1982 |
Common terms and phrases
actions allegiance analysis appears appropriate argument behaviour believe C. B. Macpherson chapter claim coherent conception condition consent constitution crude derive divine doctrine duty England English epistemological ethical executive exercise existence fact Filmer Filmerian force G. E. M. Anscombe hath historical Hobbes ibid intellectual interpretation issue J. H. Hexter John Locke judge jural King labour Laslett law of nature legislative legitimacy Leo Strauss liberty live Locke c 28 Locke f Locke's Locke's political Locke's theory Locke's thought logical London Macpherson mankind ment merely monarch moral natural theology normative notion Oxford particular Patriarcha perhaps Peter Laslett philosophical political theory positive law Possessive Individualism possible precisely prerogative preservation problem purposes rational Reasonableness of Christianity relationship religious Revolution role rulers seems sense seventeenth-century Shaftesbury simply social structure status suppose theological Thoughts concerning Education tion Tracts Treatises of Government Whig writings