Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Citations and abbreviations
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Adam and Eve
- 3 Species and the Shape of Equality
- 4 “The Democratic Intellect”
- 5 Kings, Fathers, Voters, Subjects, and Crooks
- 6 “Disproportionate and Unequal Possession”
- 7 “By Our Saviour's Interpretation”
- 8 Tolerating Atheists?
- Bibliography
- Index
5 - Kings, Fathers, Voters, Subjects, and Crooks
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 January 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Citations and abbreviations
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Adam and Eve
- 3 Species and the Shape of Equality
- 4 “The Democratic Intellect”
- 5 Kings, Fathers, Voters, Subjects, and Crooks
- 6 “Disproportionate and Unequal Possession”
- 7 “By Our Saviour's Interpretation”
- 8 Tolerating Atheists?
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
It is important to remind ourselves – in the midst of our otherwise abstruse discussion of nominal essences, real resemblances, and range properties – that we are still proceeding with an eye to a practical principle of basic equality. John Locke has set basic equality some important political work to do, and that work has to be done among the variety of beings we call ordinary humans. Equality is supposed to tell us something fundamental about political life. One preliminary way of drawing it out is as follows. Between any de facto ruler and any de facto subject intent upon challenging that ruler, defending himself against that ruler, or even just calling that ruler to account, the egalitarian claim is that we will not see such a difference in faculties as to entitle us to say that the one is a natural superior to the other. A morally astute observer will see that on both sides of the comparison, the individuals in question have faculties sufficiently similar to put them on a par, so far as moral status is concerned. This fundamental equality means that the subject's demand or grievance cannot be dismissed as simple impudence or insubordination. The subject who challenges his ruler is owed an answer because, from a God's-eye point of view, he is as much a king as his ruler, his interests count for as much in politics as his ruler's interests, and his will is as much a source of authority.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- God, Locke, and EqualityChristian Foundations in Locke's Political Thought, pp. 108 - 150Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2002