John Locke: What Are The Origins Of Modern States?

John Locke was an English philosopher who in his Treatises penned fervent arguments defending individual liberty, education and religious freedom at a time when monarchies claimed divine and absolute right to rule and anyone who did not practice the dominant state religion was persecuted by law.

State of Nature 

Like contemporary philosopher Hobbes, Locke proposed we think of a state of nature without any government. However, in marked contrast to Hobbes, Locke believed it would be possible to live an acceptable life in this state. According to him, the state of nature is first, a state of perfect freedom, second, a state of equality and lastly bound by a Law of Nature.

Law of Nature 

Men in the state of nature are free and equal, and are at liberty to do as they please- but only ‘within the bounds of the law of nature.’ The Law as per Locke is that no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions. Every other law of nature is derived from this fundamental law. 

He justifies the need to respect the Law because even though men have no superiors on Earth, we have one in heaven. Human beings are God’s property as his creations and have a higher duty: the survival of the species and the individual. We thus have the clear duty to not harm others in the state of nature and help them if we can do so without harming ourselves.

Natural Right

To avoid a state of Hobbesian war, Locke derives a method to execute the natural laws. Since we are all equal in the state of nature, giving the power to enforce the Law is impossible. Hence, Locke concludes there must be a natural right, held by each person, to punish those who offend against the Law of Nature. Each of us has the right to punish those who harm another's life, liberty, or property.

Need for State

Each person in the state of nature is given the ‘Executive Power of the Law of Nature.’ However, this method of imposing punishment can become arbitrary. The primary problem that arises in the state of nature thus becomes not Hobbesian war but the administration of justice. People will squabble not over resources, but over the degree of punishment and methods of justice.

Social Contract 

In the long run, the state of nature becomes unfeasible, and so men forfeit their perfect freedom to create an environment where disputes can be resolved by an impartial authority. They enter into a contract with each other, to “recognise by common consent a civil government with the power to enforce the law of nature among the citizens of that state.” 

Locke thus credits the origin of the state to general agreement freely entered into by equal and independent individuals. Will and not force is the basis of government, and right- not might is the basis of all political society.

Written by: Devi Sankhla