John Dunn and Locke's concept of State

Résumé du document

John Locke, who was born in 1632, and died in 1704, was an English philosopher, a philosopher of the Enlightenment. His political theories founded what is called "liberalism". In his political theory, Locke is concerned with concepts that are specific, for example: the natural law, property, political liberalism, the hierarchy of powers, and the right of resistance of the people. His greatest works are, for instance: (1689) A Letter Concerning Toleration and (1689) Two Treatises of Government. John Locke is studied, criticized, and analyzed by many authors, and we will try to examine in this essay the view of John Dunn on the political thought of John Locke.

John Montfort Dunn, born in 1940, is a professor at Cambridge, and one of the best specialists of contemporary British history of political doctrines and political theory. His early reputation was based upon the careful reconstruction of the political thought of John Locke. In the book written by John Dunn on "the political thought of John Locke," Locke is considered in his context, both in the political life of his time, and the climate of British modernity. This book by John Dunn focuses primarily on the religious and theological dimension in Two Treatises Locke wrote.

John Dunn tries to deliver an overall interpretation of the meaning of Locke's work with a contextualized method. In this book, John Dunn also attempts to reveal the contradictions and the tensions in the doctrine of Locke. The purpose of John Dunn is to expose what is supported by John Locke in the central thesis of the two treaties, and not to criticize.

One thesis regarding the political philosophy seems to Dunn really interesting as a starting point for reflection in a debate of contemporary political theory as the topic developed in the Letters on Tolerance. Yet in the thought of Locke, this issue is closely linked to religious premises. And understanding the theories of Locke strongly depends on a variety of theological prejudices.

Extraits

[...] The concept of natural law and authority. In his early political writings, for Locke, the authority comes from God. Dunn's interpretation, Locke's state of nature thinking is an expression of his theological position that man exists in a world created by God for God's purposes but that governments are created by men in order to further those purposes.”[2] There is a gracious God who gives men a set of rules sufficient to direct all their lives. authority of one human being over another was given directly by God. [...]

[...] John Dunn, The political thought of John Locke, Léviathan, PUF p185. John Dunn, The political thought of John Locke, Léviathan, PUF p41-44. [...]

[...] For Locke, this trust is the result of the peace the leader provides. The law protects the peace.[12] Any use of state powers to serve the goals of private and corrupt rulers by the threat of force undermines the structure of authority and initiates a state of war between the government and the injured subject. The subject may exercise a right to punish the government if this would not to damage the interests of others.[13] In these writings, Locke limits the right of state intervention, and qualifies any attempt of the State to compel the personal morality as injustice. [...]

[...] His duty is to find whom to obey. These are the kings, parents, teachers who teach most of you need to know to act. Furthermore the existence of God also plays an important role in Christian morality stems from the existence of God. For Locke, the world belongs to God, and therefore how to dispose of the world can be determined only by its authority. Then Locke defends that in the early treaties, an ethical "official" authority. In addition for Locke, the moral experience derives from the religious experience. [...]

[...] III/ The right of resistance . In the theory of Locke, the right of resistance is based on a concept which is in opposition to the concept of the state of nature and the concept of legitimate political society. The right of resistance results from the notion of a state of war. The state of war is initiated by the use of force and violence. For Locke, the power is a potential violence. Locke instinctively recognizes the legitimacy of the structures of social domination of society, and rejects the abuse of this power. [...]