Outline the views of Locke and Rousseau on the limits of political authority.
Sample Answer
I. Introduction
A. Brief overview of John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau
B. Thesis statement: Locke and Rousseau both address the limits of political authority, but their perspectives differ in terms of the source and scope of power.
II. John Locke’s View on the Limits of Political Authority
A. Natural rights and consent
1. The concept of natural rights as inherent and unalienable
2. The role of consent in establishing political authority
B. Limited government and protection of individual rights
1. Government as a social contract with specific purposes
2. The importance of protecting individual liberties
C. Resistance to tyranny
1. The right to resist unjust or tyrannical rule
2. The conditions under which resistance is justified
III. Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s View on the Limits of Political Authority
A. General will and popular sovereignty
1. The concept of the general will as the collective expression of the people’s common interests
2. The idea that political authority should derive from the general will
B. Direct democracy and active citizenship
1. The ideal of direct participation in decision-making processes
2. The notion that citizens should actively shape the laws and policies that affect them
C. Social contract and the common good
1. The importance of a social contract based on the general will
2. The focus on promoting the common good over individual rights
IV. Comparison and Contrast: Locke vs. Rousseau on Political Authority
A. Source of political authority
1. Locke: Consent of the governed
2. Rousseau: General will of the people
B. Scope of political authority
1. Locke: Limited government with a focus on protecting individual rights
2. Rousseau: Emphasis on collective decision-making and promotion of the common good
C. Relationship between individuals and the state
1. Locke: Individuals retain certain natural rights and enter into a social contract for mutual protection
2. Rousseau: Individuals participate in collective decision-making and subsume their individual wills to the general will
V. Conclusion
A. Recap of Locke and Rousseau’s views on the limits of political authority
B. Acknowledgment of their shared concerns about just governance
C. Emphasis on the divergent perspectives regarding the source and scope of political power