Extended Essays 2021

decreed by Kant. As a result, the righteousness of the state is skewed and cannot be

the basis for submission to it. As such due to the subjectivity of right for each

government, premises two is erroneous, deeming the conclusion equally unsound.

Locke’s Permissibility of Insurrection

In his Second Treatise (1689), Locke establishes government as being a quality of the

people with the primary function of government being to support their welfare.

Fundamentally, sovereign power enables people to be both protected and governed

by common laws. 10 This prefaces Locke’s concept of the social contract that contrasts

that of Hobbes. Though the State of nature is endorsed, this contract enables society

to both be protected and governed by common laws. The primary function of these

laws being to maintain the welfare and security of those that adhere to them. Here,

government has a duty to its people that is greater than that of the contrary relationship

from people to government. Only if the social contract is violated do the people rid

themselves of any duty to the sovereign with Locke endorsing its resistance and

replacement. The civil state is constructed based on these universal natural rights to

protect property and preserve liberty, as such being necessary. Though Locke draws

this conclusion, society is able to act independently of government in the moment of

rebellion.

The social contract outlined by Locke is fundamental in analysing the validity of his

argument for insurrection. This contract establishes that for society to have a duty to

its government it must satisfy both of the following conditions:

10 Notes on John Locke’s Second Treatise on Government .

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