Second Treatise of Government

by

John Locke

Common-wealth Term Analysis

Any independent community, such as a democracy, oligarchy, or monarchy. According to Locke, the fundamental power of all common-wealths is the establishment of a legislative power, which has the right to make and enact laws and punish offenders for the good of the common-wealth. Everyone living in a common-wealth is obligated to obey the legislative power. There must also exist within the common-wealth an executive power to enforce laws made by the legislative, along with a federative power to deal with matters of war and peace with outside common-wealths. The legislative power, however, is supreme, and all other bodies of power operate below it. When people leave a state of nature for a common-wealth, they forfeit to that common-wealth their natural right to self-preservation and the ability to punish transgressors, and that power remains with the common-wealth for as long as it stands. A common-wealth and the government that rules it must always operate for the good of the people, and only with the people’s consent.

Common-wealth Quotes in Second Treatise of Government

The Second Treatise of Government quotes below are all either spoken by Common-wealth or refer to Common-wealth. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Nature, War, and Civil Society Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1: Of Civil-Government Quotes

To this purpose, I think it may not be amiss, to set down what I take to be political power; that the power of a magistrate over a subject may be distinguished from that of a father over his children, a master over his servant, a husband over his wife, and a lord over his slave. All which distinct powers happening sometimes together in the same man, if he be considered under these different relations, it may help us to distinguish these powers one from another, and shew the difference betwixt a ruler of a common-wealth, a father of a family, and a captain of a galley.

Related Characters: John Locke (speaker)
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 7-8
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 7: Of Political of Civil Society Quotes

Let us therefore consider a master of a family with all these subordinate relations of wife, children, servants, and slaves, united under the domestic rule of a family; which, what resemblance soever it may have in its order, offices, and number too, with a little common-wealth, yet is very far from it, both in its constitution, power and end: or if it must be thought a monarchy, and the paterfamilias the absolute monarch in it, absolute monarchy will have but a very shattered and short power, when it is plain, by what has been said before, that the master of the family has a very distinct and differently limited power, both as to time and extent, over those several persons that are in it; for excepting the slave (and the family is as much a family, and his power as paterfamilias as great, whether there be any slaves in his family or no) he has no legislative power of life and death over any of them, and none too but what a mistress of a family may have as well as he.

Related Characters: John Locke (speaker)
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 46
Explanation and Analysis:

And this puts men out of a state of nature into that of a common-wealth, by setting up a judge on earth, with authority to determine all the controversies, and redress the injuries that may happen to any member of the commonwealth; which judge is the legislative, or magistrates appointed by it. And where-ever there are any number of men, however associated, that have no such decisive power to appeal to, there they are still in the state of nature.

Related Characters: John Locke (speaker)
Page Number: 48
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9: Of the End of Political Society and Government Quotes

But though men, when they enter into society, give up the equality, liberty, and executive power they had in the state of nature, into the hands of the society, to be so far disposed of by the legislative, as the good of the society shall require; yet it being only with an intention in every one the better to preserve himself, his liberty and property; (for no rational creature can be supposed to change his condition with an intention to be worse) the power of the society, or legislative constituted by them, can never be supposed to extend farther, than the common good; but is obliged to secure every one's property, by providing against those three defects above mentioned, that made the state of nature so unsafe and uneasy.

Related Characters: John Locke (speaker)
Page Number: 68
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 19: Of the Dissolution of Government Quotes

He that will with any clearness speak of the dissolution of government, ought in the first place to distinguish between the dissolution of the society and the dissolution of the government. That which makes the community, and brings men out of the loose state of nature, into one politic society, is the agreement which every one has with the rest to incorporate, and act as one body, and so be one distinct common-wealth. The usual, and almost only way whereby this union is dissolved, is the inroad of foreign force making a conquest upon them: for in that case, (not being able to maintain and support themselves, as one intire and independent body) the union belonging to that body which consisted therein, must necessarily cease, and so every one return to the state he was in before, with a liberty to shift for himself, and provide for his own safety, as he thinks fit, in some other society. Whenever the society is dissolved, it is certain the government of that society cannot remain.

Related Characters: John Locke (speaker)
Page Number: 107
Explanation and Analysis:

To conclude, the power that every individual gave the society, when he entered into it, can never revert to the individuals again, as long as the society lasts, but will always remain in the community; because without this there can be no community, no common-wealth, which is contrary to the original agreement; so also when the society hath placed the legislative in any assembly of men, to continue in them and their successors, with direction and authority for providing such successors, the legislative can never revert to the people whilst that government lasts; because having provided a legislative with power to continue for ever, they have given up their political power to the legislative, and cannot resume it.

Related Characters: John Locke (speaker)
Page Number: 123-124
Explanation and Analysis:
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Common-wealth Term Timeline in Second Treatise of Government

The timeline below shows where the term Common-wealth appears in Second Treatise of Government. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1: Of Civil-Government
Power and Absolute Monarchies Theme Icon
...make laws and enforce penalties—up to and including death—to regulate and preserve property, protect the common-wealth from foreign and domestic injury, and work for the good of the public. The power... (full context)
Chapter 7: Of Political of Civil Society
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
Power and Absolute Monarchies Theme Icon
...children, servants, and slaves—are united under domestic rule. While this may seem like a miniature common-wealth, Locke says, it isn’t. Therefore, in an absolute monarchy, the monarch, or paterfamilias, can have... (full context)
Nature, War, and Civil Society Theme Icon
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
Power and Absolute Monarchies Theme Icon
...In a political society, one gives up their power of self-preservation and punishment to the common-wealth, and the common-wealth becomes the “umpire” by setting basic rules to be followed by everyone.... (full context)
Nature, War, and Civil Society Theme Icon
Power and Absolute Monarchies Theme Icon
When people join together in a common-wealth to form a body politic, the common-wealth must make laws for them, for the common... (full context)
Chapter 8: Of the Beginning of Political Societies
Nature, War, and Civil Society Theme Icon
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
Power and Absolute Monarchies Theme Icon
...which one is relieved of such natural liberty is by agreeing to unite in a common-wealth with others. When people assemble and consent to a government under one body politic, the... (full context)
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
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Locke acknowledges that in many historical instances, original common-wealths were ruled by one man, usually a king. These kings, however, were empowered by consent... (full context)
Nature, War, and Civil Society Theme Icon
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
Power and Absolute Monarchies Theme Icon
...of any government, until they reach the age of reason and consent to join a common-wealth feely. Thus, the most important aspect of a political society is that it is made... (full context)
Chapter 9: Of the End of Political Society and Government
Nature, War, and Civil Society Theme Icon
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
Power and Absolute Monarchies Theme Icon
When one leaves a state of nature to join a common-wealth, one forfeits their power of self-preservation and the right to punish transgressors and places such... (full context)
Chapter 10: Of the Forms of a Common-wealth
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
Power and Absolute Monarchies Theme Icon
...cannot expect an inferior power to rule over one that is superior. This forms a common-wealth. By common-wealth, Locke does not mean a democracy but “any independent community.” In Latin, this... (full context)
Chapter 11: Of the Extent of Legislative Power
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
Power and Absolute Monarchies Theme Icon
...society is to benefit from the established laws, Locke contends the fundamental law of all common-wealths is the establishment of the legislative power. The main goal of the legislative power is... (full context)
Nature, War, and Civil Society Theme Icon
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
Power and Absolute Monarchies Theme Icon
...own life, or the life or property of another, neither does the legislative power. A common-wealth imbues the legislative with enough power to preserve the life and property of humankind—nothing more... (full context)
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
Power and Absolute Monarchies Theme Icon
...increase its own power and wealth by taking it from the people. People in a common-wealth have the right to secure and regulate their property through legislative laws. To submit to... (full context)
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
Power and Absolute Monarchies Theme Icon
Locke admits that running a government is expensive, so he argues that everyone in a common-wealth is responsible for paying their share of taxes in proportion to their estate; however, even... (full context)
Chapter 12: Of the Legislative, Executive, and Federative Power of the Common-wealth
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
Power and Absolute Monarchies Theme Icon
The legislative power has the right to direct the force that preserves the common-wealth, and those laws must be constantly enforced. It takes very little time to make a... (full context)
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A third power must also exist within the common-wealth, Locke maintains. There must be a power concerned with war and peace with other common-wealths.... (full context)
Chapter 13: Of the Subordination of the Powers of the Common-wealth
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
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In a successful common-wealth there can be only one supreme power: the legislative. All others are subordinate to the... (full context)
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
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In some common-wealths, Locke says, the legislative power is not always in session, and the executive is entrusted... (full context)
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
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In common-wealths where the executive power is placed in one who does not have a share in... (full context)
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Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
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...of the people, the executive power places itself in a state of war with the common-wealth, who has the right to reinstate and exercise the power of the legislative by any... (full context)
Chapter 14: Of Prerogative
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
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In common-wealths where the legislative and executive are in separate hands, Locke argues, it is necessary for... (full context)
Chapter 16: Of Conquest
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If a common-wealth’s former government is destroyed during a conquest, the people have an absolute right to build... (full context)
Chapter 17: Of Usurpation
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
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...of another’s rights, and when this is applied to governors or lawful kings of a common-wealth, it is tyranny. Lawful governments must rule as consented by the people of the common-wealth,... (full context)
Chapter 18: Of Tyranny
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
Power and Absolute Monarchies Theme Icon
...well. Whenever the government is used to “impoverish, harass, or subdue” the people of a common-wealth, this is considered tyranny. “Where-ever the law ends,” Locke says, “tyranny begins.” This begs the... (full context)
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In common-wealths where the prince and law are sacred, so that everything the prince does is free... (full context)
Chapter 19: Of the Dissolution of Government
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The Dissolution of Government Theme Icon
Whenever unjust laws are imposed on a common-wealth, the people are under no obligation to obey them, Locke claims. If a prince or... (full context)
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Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
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The Dissolution of Government Theme Icon
...supreme executive abandons their rule and laws cannot be put into action. This reduces a common-wealth to anarchy and effectively dissolves the government, Locke contends. In any case when the government... (full context)
Consent of the Governed and the Role of Government Theme Icon
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The Dissolution of Government Theme Icon
...in such circumstances. In conclusion, Locke states the power that each individual gave to the common-wealth cannot revert back to the people as long as the society stands but must always... (full context)