Liberty, Governance and Resistance: Competing Discourses in John Locke's Political Philosophy

John Locke is widely perceived as a foundational figure within the liberal tradition. This book investigates the competing discourses that inform Locke’s political philosophy, each underwritten by a distinct purpose, not all of which result in philosophical outcomes consistent with what we today understand as “liberal” ideals.

Locke himself was unaware that he belonged to a “liberal” tradition. Traditions only acquire meaning in retrospect. But many have perceived the development of Locke’s ...