Extend your knowledge on the topic, read the passage and do the assignments

John Locke worked a theory of representative government that has become the basis of what we now call democracy. In 1960, Locke published his Second Treatise of Civil Government as a defense of limited monarchy and parliamentary supremacy. He too based his argument on man in a state of nature agreeing to a social contract. For Locke individuals in a state of nature enjoyed complete equality, freedom, peace, and the satisfaction of working together for mutual benefit. But, Locke further argued, this harmonious condition was fragile and easily destroyed by the unjust use of force, as when a prince takes away a citizen’s right or a thief steals a person’s property. To protect themselves against injustice, individuals enter into a “compact”, or social contract, in which they give up a portion of the “equality”, liberty, and executive power they had in the state of nature”. By this contract they form a “commonwealth”, or state, and place their trust in a legislative authority. If this authority violates its trust, then the people have the right to rebel and change their government.

He argued that government can justly govern only with the consent of the governed. He called for an electoral system that would provide equal representation to all the people in the state. Finally, he said that the ability of the people to peacefully change their representatives is essential to a just society.

Assignments:

1. What does the passage tell about?

a) An electoral system;

b) The authorities;

c) An indirect democracy;

2. What theories of government do you know? Match the authors from the left column to the essence of their theories with the right:

1) Plato and Cicero a) the totalitarian regimes

2) Aristotle b) the absolute authority;

3) Hobbes c) government in the public interest

3. What is the most exact evidence of the Locke’s theory?

a) the authority;

b) the natural law;

c) the electoral system.

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