Political Science and International Relations

Comment on Locke's views on Revolution. UPSC 2024 Paper 1A Qn 1c John Locke, a seminal figure in liberal political thought, articulated a justification for revolution in his Second Treatise of Government (1689). Unlike Thomas Hobbes, who emphasized absolute sovereignty to prevent chaos, Locke defended the right of the people to resist and overthrow unjust rulers. His theory of revolution is grounded in the principles of natural rights, social contract, and government by consent. The Foundation: Natural Rights and the Social Contract - Locke’s political philosophy is based on the idea that individuals are born with inalienable natural rights life, liberty, and property—which governments are created to protect. His social contract theory asserts that: People enter into a political society to preserve their natural rights. Governments derive their legitimacy from the consent of the governed. If a government fails in its duty or becomes tyrannical, it br...

Qn. John Locke is the father of liberalism. Explain. Locke has traditionally been considered the father of liberal democracy for his advocacy of individual rights, limited government, natural rights, two-stage theory of social contract and for his profound influence on modern democracies. Locke claims that government must be limited since the relationship between itself and the citizen is reciprocal. He roots sovereignty in society. Locke considers, "the great and chief end of men's putting themselves under government is the preservation of property  i.e., preservation of 'Lives, Liberties and Estates'". Locke considers liberty as a property right because to have property in one's person implies the right to think, speak, and act freely. Locke proposes a constitutionally limited government to ensure that the government does not violate people's property rights - their lives, liberties, and possessions. Rational human beings would not logically consent to a...

  Qn. Comment on Locke's Social Contract. Locke's two-stage contract is simply an affirmation that human nature is innately social and cooperative and state of nature is a state of peace. Locke emphasizes limited government and empowers the concept of natural rights by a constitutional mandate and he does not take note of contracting them away. Locke observes two stages of contract. The first is the social contract that is formed by the society by unanimous consent , and the second is the political contract , through which government is formed and which is only a fiduciary agreement and is to be formed by a majority decision . For Locke, a government is to be an agent and a trustee of society , a trustee of societal values. It is to be limited by the rights and liberties the citizen carries into the society. In Social contract, the members of society turn over to the government the right or power of executing the laws of nature that in their natural condition they were requi...