Second Treatise of Government book club questions
by John Locke · a kit for three meetings · 15 questions · printable
Fifteen discussion questions for Second Treatise of Government, grouped by three stretches of the book of about the same length, with a reading plan, themes to talk about and a sheet you can print. Two good openers: who should decide whether political authority serves public benefit? And how might equality shape the way people use their right to punish?
The reading plan
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Meeting 1: Chapters 1 to 6
- Who should decide whether political authority serves public benefit?
- How might equality shape the way people use their right to punish?
- Why might consent be insufficient to justify absolute power over someone's life?
- How convincing is labor as a basis for owning resources that were common?
- Does accepting money also mean accepting unequal possessions? Why or why not?
Meeting 2: Chapters 7 to 13
- Would you trade insecure freedom for government protection of property? What would make that trade worthwhile?
- Why should protection by a common judge matter more than a ruler's claim to authority?
- What makes majority rule fair or unfair to members who disagree?
- What should distinguish living in a community from consenting to belong permanently to a political community?
- How much freedom should a majority have to choose political arrangements?
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Meeting 3: Chapters 14 to 19
- When, if ever, should communal benefit justify a ruler departing from law?
- Why does it matter that parents, governors, and masters draw authority from different sources?
- How should the freedom of innocent people limit a victor's claims after conquest?
- Which seems more important for a right to rule: lawful appointment or the people's free consent? Why?
- How should people judge whether legal remedies have failed enough to justify defense?
Your club needs the book
Every format for everyone
The 15-minute summary today, the eBook and audiobook as each opens; one plan covers up to 5 readers in one home. Try 3 months free
The same printed edition
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Themes to talk about
Tips for the host
- Open each meeting with one question everyone can answer, then go deeper.
- Anyone who fell behind can catch up with the 15-minute summary.
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of Second Treatise of Government, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
15-minute summaries today, eBooks and audiobooks as each book opens, and printed books, large print included, at cost.
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