The Second Treatise outlines a theory of civil society. John Locke begins by describing the state of nature, a picture much more stable than Thomas Hobbes' state of "war of every man against every man," and argues that all men are created equal in the state of nature by God. From this, he goes on to explain the hypothetical rise of property and civilization, in the process explaining that the only legitimate governments are those that have the consent of the people. Therefore, any government that rules without the consent of the people can, in theory, be overthrown.

John Locke was one of the greatest Enlightenment thinkers. His contribution to our contemporary understanding of governemnt-via his Social Contract theory-can hardly be underestimated. His insight into human nature underscores the important role of government in providing a balance between personal liberties and ensuring the common good. Alacrity Press is proud to make this work of classic political theory, Second Treatise of Government by John Locke available to modern readers.

A Letter Concerning Toleration John Locke Translated by William Popple A Letter Concerning Toleration by John Locke was originally published in 1689. Its initial publication was in Latin, though it was immediately translated into other languages. Locke's work appeared amidst a fear that Catholicism might be taking over England, and responds to the problem of religion and government by proposing religious toleration as the answer. This "letter" is addressed to an anonymous "Honored Sir" this was actually Locke's close friend Philipp van Limborch, who published it without Locke's knowledge. One...