Stevens - Blog Post 1

In Chapter VII, Locke reiterates the purpose of civil government: to preserve man’s right to property and punish offenders who violate the law (Par. 87). By giving up some of their liberties to the common-wealth, men give the government the power to make and adjudicate laws (legislative power) and to enforce punishments (executive power) (Par 88). The executive(s) that are responsible for the government’s power do so with the support of the people, taking man out of the state of nature.

 

In Locke’s view, an “absolute monarchy… …is indeed inconsistent with civil society” because if one man holds both legislative and executive power, they are free to violate rights and property without fear of retribution (Par 90, 91). The role of the legislature must be placed in “the collective bodies of men” to ensure that no man can be exempt from the laws that govern it. Adam Smith, in contrast, does not believe that a monarchy is inherently inconsistent with the idea of civil society. Smith says that governments often arise from a man of superior abilities, mental or physical, that confers authority to him (pg. 401). He identifies three forms of government: Monarchical, Aristocratical, and Democratical. While Smith sees Monarchical as a legitimate system of government, he also clearly views it as lesser than democratic in his back-handed description of those who are attracted to authority: “[an] easy turn of mind usually is pleased with a tame submission to superiority.” (pg 402).

 

Locke’s theory of government is a normative theory of government; a vision of how society should be governed. Smith’s essay seems to be more of a descriptive investigation as to how, and why, governments are formed. Though he clearly is biased in favor of a democratic system, he recognizes the processes and forces that produce legitimate monarchies.

 

Locke’s fear of monarchs and absolute power seems to blind him to some of the issues with democratic governments. Just as monarchs can arbitrarily violate people’s rights and property, so can the tyranny of the majority in a democratic system. Minorities in a sufficiently large and diverse commonwealth may be unable to protect themselves if a majority unites against them. Still, Locke creates a strong foundation for democratic government for later theorists to build upon.