Two Treatises on Government

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This beautifully formatted collection of treatises on Civil Government by John Locke features an Active Table of Contents for easy navigation. Locke’s “Two Treatises of Civil Government,” published anonymously in 1689, is a significant work of political philosophy. The First Treatise refutes patriarchalism through a detailed critique of Robert Filmer's Patriarcha, while the Second Treatise presents Locke's vision for a civilized society grounded in natural rights and contract theory. This publication contrasts Locke's earlier political writings, including the unpublished 1660 “Two Tracts on Government,” which reflects a conservative stance, and the 1669 Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina, endorsing aristocracy and slavery. The backdrop of the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which saw King James II overthrown by Parliamentarians and William III of Orange ascending the throne, is crucial to understanding the Treatises. Locke claims in the Preface that the work aims to justify William III's rule, though Peter Laslett suggests it was largely written during the Exclusion Crisis of 1679–1680. Locke, influenced by his mentor Anthony Ashley-Cooper, faced exile due to the political turmoil, and he was aware of the risks associated with his writing, never publicly acknowledging his authorship during his lifetime.