He may be an absolute monarch of his property, but his power will last only as long as all other individuals or states leave him in peace. Locke's assertion is that no one can be subjected to the political power of another without his own consent. ... When these individuals choose to form into political and civil societies the commonwealth takes on the power of protection and punishment. ... Locke lists four limits to the power of the state all of which show a common sense, practical approach to the distribution of power and all of which are evident in modern democratic political soci...

• Word Count: 1115
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

This instance of religion playing a significant role in politics is but one of many in the history of America under rule of Britain. ... These radical ideals filtered out of Britain to the American citizens, strengthening their knowledge of political form. ... He continued saying that the state has power only if governed by true and "natural" law. ... (American Enlightenment [2], 1) The rationalistic and logical thought of the Enlightenment was revolutionary for the time, for it questioned the sovereignty of God and monarchs. ... Enlightenment publications, such as Locke's The Reasonable...

• Word Count: 2303
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

For far too long had European citizens consecutively endured the rule and abuse of absolute monarchs. ... In fact, philosophy became a practical method of social and political persuasion. ... The philosophical values that carried notions of natural human rights and power were unexplained by the counterrevolutionary outcomes. ... The highest ideology of nineteenth century liberalism was that economically, maximum freedom would only come as the result of the limited power of government. ... In its early years the United States owed its continued existence to society's anti-power beliefs tha...

• Word Count: 3737
• Approx Pages: 15
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Thomas Hobbes and John Locke are two political philosophers; their theories were about the formation of the society and what the social contract means. ... Doubtless, both thinkers have different opinions on human nature and state of nature; the state of nature is where people were in before political government came into existence. ... One person or a group of people is given the power to protect the rest of the society. ... Conversely to Hobbes monarchial state, Locke contends that the government should be democratic. For this reason, the elected government can only rule by consent with t...

• Word Count: 1676
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

To understand political power aright, and derive it from its original, we must consider what estate all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of Nature, without asking leave or depending upon the will of any other man. ... The legislative authority by which they are in force over the subjects of that commonwealth hath no power over him. Those who have the supreme power of making laws in England, France, or Holland are, to an Indian, but like the rest of ...

• Word Count: 7672
• Approx Pages: 31
• Grade Level: Undergraduate