The society has the power to administer the death penalty, collect taxes etc. because the individual has chosen to join that society and willfully gave up his state of nature rights so that he could enjoy the benefits of the political society. Essentially, the natural rights granted to one at birth transform in the political freedoms. .
As aforementioned, the only thing that can put an individual in a political society is their consent. There are two different consents, tacit and expressed whose difference holds importance. It is only an expressed consent that can place an individual society; no tacit (implied) consent under Locke's philosophy can remove an individual out of the state of nature. .
Now that the construction of political societies has been discussed it is time to examine human nature under Locke's philosophy.
It is held by Locke that humans are individuals whose natural disposition is to be independent. Therefore, any society that forms does so artificially and contractually. As such, the society is simply the sum of its individuals as their cooperation and interaction with one another is done for the sole reason of the preservation of their property; no other large group efforts exist. Locke's society is clearly set on helping the individual. By having the premise that humans" natural disposition is to be independent sets the rest of philosophy to be based around those individuals. .
The society formed from when an individual's rights of property have been infringed and a war has ensued is done not naturally but out of the need to protect the individual's rights. This formed society works towards no great goal and the government in place never dissolves for the need to protect private property never ceases. As abovementioned, Locke's supposition is that there is an unlimited amount of resources. Under this supposition, it would be safe to say that most individuals created would gain their share of the unlimited resources and would therefore need the protection of the government.
