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John Locke's Second Treatise

            John Locke was a Treatise writer and political philosopher who spoke against Sir Robert Filmer and wanted to justify the rule of King William. John Locke is a simple writer who gets to his point and moves from each point to another, which avoids hyperbolizing. He had an insatiable amount of influence on North American ruling, but his aim was not just for The United States of America. He was also implying his writings towards South America. Locke makes some great points in his writings concerning property, and basic human rights and used God often in his writing. .
             John Locke introduces the Second Treatise with addressing the state of nature in order to define political power. State of nature is about equality and that no person has authority over another because everyone has the right of freedom and may do as they please. In chapter sixteen Locke shows that his model is against the unjust conquering when he writes "The aggressor who puts himself into the state of war with another and unjustly invades another mans rights can never come to have a right over the conquered" (P. 97). Of course with the state of nature comes reasonable punishment as long as it fits the crime. In order to prevent human kind from running around wild without a purpose Locke brings in the idea that if two or more individuals sign an agreement like a constitution, they belong to a political society. The individuals will do their part in that political society as long it's a government that is for the people.
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             Locke jumps from "State of Nature" to "Law of Nature" which justifies killing an individual in self-defense if that person is invading the freedom of another. He uses the example of a thief, saying it is not wrong to kill a thief who is stealing your property since that thief is invading ones liberty. Locke justifies liberty often in chapters three and .
             four, and his idea of social liberty was very influential to the United States.


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