First Treatise of Government - Locke The First Treatise is focused on the refutation of Sir Robert Filmer's Patriarcha, but important other arguments exist that make this worth reviewing Argued that civil society was founded on a divinely-sanctioned patriarchalism Refutes not only the devine-right theory of the monarchical state, but equally the dynastic state. According to Filmer Children are born in subjection to their parents and is basis for absolute monarchy “Every man that is born, is so far from being free born, that by his very birth, he becomes a subject to him that begets him, under which subjection he is always to live, unless by immediate appointment from God, or by the grant or death of his father he become possessed of that power to which he was subject. The right of fatherly government was ordained by God for the preservation of mankind” - Core of Filmer's argument. According to Locke Argues that Filmer's position is that men are not naturally free Identified two strands in Filmer's patriarchalism God granted Adam absolute dominion over the entire earth and this grant descending to Adam's heirs was the foundation of absolute monarchy The monarch's right to rule derives from the father's absolute power of life and death over his children

Locke's refutation First Strand of Filmer's argument Locke cites Genesis 1:27-28 (God created man in His image) “...have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” Genesis conveys dominion over irrational creatures not over humans, who were created in the image of God Grant of dominion was made to all humans, not to Adam as an individual Second Strand of Filmer's argument Filmer argues that the power of a father like that of a monarch is absolute Filmer claims a father has the absolute power of life and death over his children Locke refutes Filmer with God being the Creator of life and God alone has the power which Filmer attributes to the father Do parents possess the power of life and death over their children? Bazaar in modern times but central to debate over patriarchalism Essential characteristic of sovereign government is the legitimate power to pass laws which may be enforced by killing those who disobey First Treatise of Government - Locke

Notables “Slavery is so vile and miserable an Estate of Man, and so directly opposite to the generous Temper and Courage of our Nation; that tis hardly to be conceived, that an Englishman, much less a Gentleman, should plead for’t.” Locke has set out on the stance that Divine Right Monarchy really means slavery and that Filmer’s treatise is only meant to blind the people into bondage. “Scripture or Reason I am sure doe not any where say so notwithstanding the noise of divine right, as if Divine Authority hath subjected us to the unlimited Will of another.” The idea that all of us are slaves to a single person, or government, both of which are fallible, is unreasonable for human kind and is not present in the Scripture. “...some have been apt to be deceived into an opinion that there was a natural or divine right or primogeniture to both estate and power” Property is legitimate control over things (and “inferior creatures”), “for the benefit and sole advantage of the proprietor”; government - “terror to evil doers” - is “for the benefit of the governed, and not the sole advantage of the governors.” First Treatise of Government - Locke