Locke And Rousseau Essay Research Paper The

Locke And Rousseau Essay, Research Paper

The idea of consent is a key element in the works of John Locke and Jean-Jacques

Rousseau. In the .Second Treatise of Government,. Locke puts forth his

conception of the ideal form of government based on a social contract. As Locke

develops his theory of consent, he also incorporates theories of political

obligation on the part of all citizens of his state as well as his theory of

revolution and the conditions under which rebellion is permissible. Though Locke

may appear to have explored the notion of consent completely, there are some

problems with his theory that weaken its impact. Despite the possible problems

encountered with Locke.s idea of consent in a political society, Rousseau, in

his essay .On the Social Contract,. seems to agree with Locke with regards

to the concept of consent as it applies to the use of money. The works of Locke

and Rousseau explore political foundations that depend on a social contract

which requires consent above all things in order to secure liberty for the

people. John Locke powerfully details the benefits of consent as a principle

element of government, guaranteed by a social contract. Locke believes in the

establishment of a social compact among people of a society that is unique in

its ability to eliminate the state of nature. Locke feels the contract must end

the state of nature agreeably because in the state of nature .every one has

executive power of the law of nature.(742). This is a problem because men are

then partial to their own cases and those of their friends and may become

vindictive in punishments of enemies. Therefore, Locke maintains that a

government must be established with the consent of all that will .restrain the

partiality and violence of men.(744). People must agree to remove themselves

from the punishing and judging processes and create impartiality in a government

so that the true equality of men can be preserved. Without this unanimous

consent to government as holder of executive power, men who attempt to establish

absolute power will throw society into a state of war(745). The importance of

freedom and security to man is the reason he gives consent to the government. He

then protects himself from any one partial body from getting power over him. He

can appeal to a higher authority in his community once the consent of the people

sets up a judiciary(746). As Locke develops his theory of consent, he addresses

the issue of liberty and states that in giving consent, men do give up their

.natural liberty,. which involves being free from the will of any man and

living by the law of nature. However, in the social contract we exchange this

natural liberty for .freedom of men under government,. in which we have a

natural, standing rule to live by, common to everyone, made by the

legislative(747). With consent to government, men still have the liberty to

follow their own will in matters where the law does not dictate otherwise.

Therefore, men do not have to suffer enslavement to political institutions. For

Locke, this justifies consent to government and ordered society. Locke

incorporates his views on money into his consent theory, for he feels that men

have agreed tacitly, with the invention of money, to put a value on property and

establish rights to it(751). The consent of men to place a value on money has

allowed men to support themselves with property and labor and also

.increase[s] the common stock of mankind.(751). Consent makes industry and

the accumulation of the wealth of society possible and Locke considers this a

positive achievement. Involved deeply in the theory of consent is Locke.s

interpretation of political obligation. Locke views government as essential to

the evolution of a civil society in which the inconveniences of the state of

nature are rejected while the safety and security men desire are protected by

government. Therefore, the people, as part of the social contract, have a duty

to obey the laws instituted by government and to accept the concept of majority

rule as fundamental to the continued equality of the society. In consenting to

political authority, men agree to allow the .body with the greater force. to

influence policy(769). Men must have confidence in the proper functioning of

government because they rely on the social compact. Their obligation is to abide

by the terms of the compact so that both people and government enjoy smooth

sailing. Locke also explores the idea of revolution and insists that the people

who have created government with unanimous consent in order to preserve their

property and safety should not be betrayed by the very institutions they gave

birth to. So Locke states that if any of the three powers in government make a

move .to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them

to slavery under arbitrary power. the

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