Abstract

What political society is, how it comes to be and how it sometimes ceases to be, why it requires government, and how to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate government: these are the questions John Locke offers to answer in the Second Treatise. The answers are the heart of Locke's political philosophy. It is a fundamental axiom of Locke's political theory that legitimate rule is grounded in consent. As all rational human beings are naturally free to run their lives as they see fit within the bounds of natural law, it cannot be rightful to coerce them to join any association, whatever that group's function may be. It follows directly from Locke's consent‐based theory of governmental legitimacy that any government that does not rule with the consent of the people is illegitimate. Locke's views on toleration are set out in A Letter Concerning Toleration, which caused a stir in Anglican circles.