What Second Treatise of Government is about
A lasting account of consent, property and the limits of legitimate government. John Locke wrote it in 1689. It sits in the politics shelf of the library.
The edition you read
The original text is the John Locke, 1689, a public domain edition. The text is complete and keeps its own chapter structure, so every reading points back to the same place in the book.
Where to start
The book opens with these readings, in order. The first one is free in the app.
- Chapter. i
- Chapter. ii
- Chapter. iii
- Chapter. iv
How the readings are split
The 31 readings follow the book's own divisions, grouped into 6 parts. Each reading is a sitting of a few minutes, and the reader remembers the paragraph where you stopped.
Reading it in plain English
Every reading has a plain English draft written paragraph by paragraph, and a short guide with context, an explanation, takeaways and a question to think about. The drafts are labeled Unreviewed plain English draft. Drafts, guides and the readings after the first one need Athenaeum Membership.
Questions about Second Treatise of Government
Is Second Treatise of Government free to read?
The John Locke, 1689 is in the public domain. In Athenaeum the first of its 31 readings is free, and Athenaeum Membership opens the rest.
How long is Second Treatise of Government?
Athenaeum splits it into 31 readings. Short books take a week of evenings, and long ones work best a reading or two at a time.
Read Second Treatise of Government in Athenaeum
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