Extended Essays 2021

1. The natural rights of the individual must be maintained, including that of

property and welfare.

2. The individual must consent to the control of the government.

As the above are both necessary conditions, both must be upheld so as to enable the

proper functioning and legitimacy of government. Government is considered valid

where it does not supersede the common good for its people. Though a government

may foster the natural right of its citizens, if society has not consented to it holding

power, it is illegitimate. As an organisation of the people, the absolute power of

government is dependent on the aforementioned conditions, only when these are

maintained is the power deserved. A premise for mobilisation of rebellion exists where

the responsibilities government fails to maintain the property and welfare of its citizens.

A priori knowledge deduces that power for Locke is a quality of the people. The

conclusion is drawn that as a result, to maintain the proper functioning of government,

society is required to dissent against it where it is illegitimate.

The conclusion drawn is that due to the government being a quality of the people, the

people are entitled to the ability of insurrection. This is denoted in modus ponens’ form

through the following premises:

P1 If the state is illegitimate, then the people have a right to rebel. p ⊃ q

P2

The state is illegitimate.

p

∴ q

MC Therefore, the people have a right to rebel.

The argument for rebellion is deductive and succeeds logically in reaching the above

conclusion. As presented by Locke, a state is illegitimate whereby the natural rights

are maintained, or consent was not given to the government to hold power. As a result,

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