The Important Factors of Rebellion and Democracy in John Locke’s Idea of Government

Category: John Locke
Last Updated: 31 May 2023
Pages: 3 Views: 259

How would you like to elect your own officials, be treated equally, and have the option to rebel if your rights are not looked after? John Locke's government allows people who's rights are not being upheld to rebel against the government. Locke's government is also an Indirect Democracy which works well and keeps order throughout the country. The citizens in this form of government are allowed to chose the leader they feel will most likely look after the other people's rights. With all of these excellent attributes, John Locke's government is best suited to control, provide for, and protect the people.

Rebellion is a key factor in Locke's idea of government if the citizen's rights are not being looked after. He states, "When the legislatures try to destroy or take away the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the populace who can then refuse to obey the laws." This means that when the legislatures use their powers for their benefit instead of using it for the good of the people, the citizens can revolt because the legislatures aren't keeping their promise. This is not saying that people can rebel whenever they feel like it, it is saying that people have the right to protect their freedoms. If they are in danger, they should take a stand and defend themselves. Smart people would chose Locke's form of government since it allows these people who aren't being treated fairly to rebel and speak their minds.

An Indirect Democracy has worked in the past and continues to work in today's world. Our very own country even uses this type of Democracy to govern the ever large, and still growing United States. In Locke's system, the citizens elect officials to look after their rights. These officials talk to each other and discuss how they can best control, provide for, and protect the people. Locke says, "Since every man is equal and since most men do not concern themselves with equity and justice, the enjoyment of rights in the state of nature is unsafe and insecure." This is why Locke chooses others to look after the citizens since the citizens will not look after each other. Indirect Democracy clearly works best for this situation. Indirect Democracy really does keep everything in order and in place where it needs to be and also is the best type of government according to Locke.

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Just as the citizens of the United States have the right to vote on who their leader is going to be, citizens in Locke's government can do the same. If they feel this leader can control the people, provide for them, and protect their rights, liberties, and possessions they should have no problems following his rules and laws making this government a very successful one. Plus, the people have a say in the government and can tell their officials that they have elected how they feel on how certain things are working in this system. Their feelings and questions are heard and respected. When citizens are able to chose their leader, it really shows how important of a role they play in their own government and that they have many rights in their country.

With a system of government that lets their citizens rebel when the leader isn't doing his or her job, uses an Indirect Democracy that works very well and lets people have many freedoms, and finally lets the citizens choose their own leader, how can it not be anything less than perfect? The answer is that it can not be anything less than perfect. This government controls, provides for, and protects the people using John Locke's basis of government. Any other form of government would just not live up to this idea and that is why the United States uses this superb form of government because it works so well.

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The Important Factors of Rebellion and Democracy in John Locke’s Idea of Government. (2023, May 31). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/the-important-factors-of-rebellion-and-democracy-in-john-lockes-idea-of-government/

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