Locke’s Second Treatise, Chapters 17 and 18, Analysis and Critique

These two chapters cover two ways in which governments can make themselves illegitimate: through usurpation and tyranny.

Locke is careful to separate the two terms, so that usurpation is specifically the transfer of power to one entitled to it (even if that one restricts himself to similar powers and functions as the legitimate government).

Tyranny is when the government oversteps its bounds.

From a voluntaryist perspective, there’s a bit of difficulty here that seems to stem from Locke’s particularly permanent conception of how dominion works.

He also makes a few troubling conclusions about what are effectively oppressed minorities under otherwise Lockean governments.

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Intro music by Amaksi, courtesy Pixabay:
https://pixabay.com/users/amaksi-28332361/