John Locke在西方的地位相当于马克思，他在300多年前有关民权，民主和国家的很多最本质问题的思考已经成为今天西方社会意识形态的基础，也是西方法治和民主国家合法性的基石。他的文章里面有很多思辨性的东西使得经历Jeremy bentham和Nozick关于社会本质的争辩几百年后，又回归到了Locke的思想中来。

A brief overview of the reading: In his SecondTreatise of Government, John Locke (1632-1704) argues that legitimategovernment is a limited government based on consent, in which themajority rules but may not violate people's fundamental rights. Atfirst glance, Locke's theory may seem familiar, but it also concealssome puzzling questions. On Locke's view, a legitimate government maynot violate our natural right to life, liberty, and property. But Lockeallows that government may legitimately take our property throughtaxation and require citizens to sacrifice their lives in war. Ifgovernment may do these things, then what counts as a law that violatesour rights?