Two Treatises of Government
The first treatise criticizes Robert Filmer’s defense of absolute paternal rule; the second locates political legitimacy in rights, consent and accountable institutions.
Understanding the text
Published anonymously late in 1689 with a 1690 date, much of the work was written before England’s 1688 Revolution. Its history includes debates about property, colonization and slavery.
Key points
- 01
Against absolutism
Political right does not simply descend from hereditary paternal authority.
- 02
Consent
Legitimate power depends on a community establishing government to protect rights.
- 03
Property and exclusion
Labor and appropriation raise questions about colonial dispossession and historical inequality.
How to read it
Read the two treatises separately and confront their principles with colonial contexts and exclusions.
Editions & sources
- Consult the reference 1plato.stanford.edunew tab
- Consult the reference 2plato.stanford.edunew tab
- Consult the reference 3iep.utm.edunew tab
Summaries and key points are original editorial interpretations. They accompany reading the work and do not replace an edition of the text. Editorial method ↗