what basis does Locke beleive Political power should limited

Upon reading Locke’s Second Treatise Of Government it becomes apparent that he was

an advocate of the limitation of political power. Locke proposes a separation of power within

government as a means to satisfy this before the idea emerges in Montesquieu’s writings (Gough

1973). Locke believed that governmental power should be vested in more than one institution in

order to safeguard against one institution having too great a degree of power. Locke’s writing is a work against absolutism, which he saw as a sure road to tyranny. This is an issue which forms a firm basis of Locke’s theory and will be discussed below.

Locke has taken the two principle rights man enjoys in the State of Nature, the right to interpret the Law of Nature for ourselves and the right to punish anyone who goes against it, and has given them two independent institutions (Ashcraft 1987). These institutions, while both designed to be working towards the common good, have come into being in Locke’s system in such a way that society is protected against abuse of this system. Locke’s assumption of mans “frailty” leads him to include these insurance’s agai

In the case of the Executive, it is constantly required to enforce the Law of Nature. By making this contract and pooling our Executive rights we are also ensuring that everyone is in a contract of obedience which they are bound to so: “No man may exempt himself from obedience of the laws they make” (Locke 143). The role of the Executive being not one of interpretation, but rather of enforcement, this commands obedience to the laws passed, which every man is contractually obliged to adhere to. While the Executive remains under the scrutiny of the Legislature, the people and the Executive could only come in to conflict if it was felt that the Law of Nature had been badly executed. In such a case the Legislature would step in to adjudicate.

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