John Locke And Edmund Burke s Political Rebellion

Both John Locke and Edmund Burke support political rebellion under specific circumstances. What differentiates these two political theorists in their discussions of revolution? Please make reference to both Second Treatise of Government and Reflections on the Revolution in France when answering this question. Cite the texts and be specific. Many philosophers and theorists have spoken on the value, or lack thereof, of revolution. In Second Treatise of Government, John Locke builds the concept of a â€Å"social contract,† which outlines responsibilities of the government and what can be done if the state fails to uphold its duties. Edmund Burke views political rebellion in a different light. He writes in Reflections on the Revolution in France that upheaval does excessive harm to the state, and, by extension, the people. While both Locke and Burke agree that rebellion is useful to the growth of a state, they differ on a few main points. First, they disagree in terms of what circumstances warrant revolution. Second, they each believe it should take different forms and work to different extents. Finally, Locke and Burke believe revolution tends to have positive or negative effects, respectively. Their views on each of these points will be discussed in turn. To understand their views on revolt, and when it is justified, one must first review the responsibilities each believes the government to have. To Locke, the government works to preserve innate rights, that is, rightsShow MoreRelatedThe Declaration Of Independence By Thomas Jefferson2202 Words   |  9 Pages When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation (Jefferson). This is the opening paragraph to the Declaration of Independence, which is oneRead MoreOrder Of Colonization Of The Colonies1807 Words   |  8 Pages Order of colonization of the colonies: Jamestown, by the Virginia Co. of London, Plymouth by the separatist Puritans, Massachusetts Bay by John Winthrop’s permanent settlement of Puritans, then Hartford, Rhode Island, Carolina, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, which was settled by William Penn and the Quakers Rhode Island: was settled by Roger Williams when he was excommunicated by the puritans for his belief that the individual conscience was more complex and beyond the grasp of any church official