Philosophy Discussion About Different Types Of Slavery (Essay Sample)

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Slavery in “Two Treatises of Government” by John Locke
The book, Two Treatises of Government by John Locke, consists of two treaties. In the first treatise, the author critics Robert Filmer’s Patriarcha, that supports the divine right of kings. Filmer’s theory believes that to the natural born king, each man is born a slave. However, Locke fails to accept this theory since he believes that every man is capable of governing himself by following God’s law. In the second treatise, the author proposes a solution to the political disruption in England as well as other modern nations. Locke believes that man’s natural liberty is to have freedom from any super power and not to ruled by authority of man but instead be under the law of nature.
Locke had written a various treatise of government and also much on how the government should be organized. The second treatise involves an argument for the justification of slavery. The author argues that its only when certain people take slaves in a particular way can be rightfully be regarded as slaves (Locke, pg 206). The only way to take them is by just war. This relates to author’s idea on where property originates from. To him just buying the land does not qualify you to be the owner of that property. Before one becomes the sole owner of the property, there is some work that has to be done. Locke is against slavery. He is odd in justification for slavery.
In his work, the author explains who can be a slave. He stated that it is only through his will to be given up personhood’s rights in a contract that a “man” can be a slave. If a man is forcefully required to do something without his will, then that is slavery. He argues that the natural way of man is to be free other man’s laws and dominions. It is only through the man’s consent that he can be under the law (Locke, pg 206). Even when a man has the consent to be governed, it should not go beyond the trust warrant placed within the government.
The author disputes the definition of freedom according to Filmer, which states that men have the free will to do what they desire and no law should judge their doing. However, there are common laws that characterize freedom under government and men are subject to these laws. As long as you don’t violate these laws, man has the free will to do what they want.
The life of a man is threatened when he can’t be free from arbitrary and absolute power. When a man has control over his life, he can easily enslave himself to anybody and also have himself under someone’s control. A man can only give po...