Natural Equality and Civil Society According to John Locke in his "Second Treatise of Government", natural equality is an essential component of the state of nature; the state of nature' being one of peace, tranquility, and equality, where there is no common power guided by reason. However, the lack of common power also supplies an inconvenience for the state of nature the aptitude to fall into a state of war with no means to escape it. To avoid this "inconvenience", Locke finds it a necessity to form civil society ruled by a common authority of law. For a such government to preserve its legitimacy, the transition into civil society must maintain some degree of equality. The origination of property, the introduction of money, and furthermore the practice of slavery are three reasons certain aspects of natural equality are sacrificed in the conversion to civil society. To assess the extent of loss of natural equality, we must first come to understand what Locke's definition of equality is:A state of equality, wherein all the power and jurisdiction is reciprocal, no one having more than another; there being nothing more evident, than that creatures of the same species and rank, promiscuously born to all the same advantages of nature, and the use of the same faculties, should be equal one amongst another without subordination or subjection.. . . [pg.8]When one knows Locke's definition of equality, the mere existence of property subtracts from our natural equality. Let us examine the origins of property. Locke suggests the origin of property is of God, pointing to the 115th Psalm verse 16 of the Old Testament, ". . .God, as king David says, . . .has given the earth to the children of men; given it to mankind in common." [pg.18] Even though God has given the earth to all humankind in common, Locke believes that humankind, bearing God given reason, has the right to use the earth to his/her "best advantage of life, and convenienc...
