명예혁명과 로크의 『정부론』 (The Glorious Revolution and Locke’s Two Treatises)

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· 저자명 : 송규범

초록

In general, J. Locke’s Two Treatises of Government is regarded as containing the Principles of the Glorious Revolution, and the political leaders of Whiggism after 1688 are assumed to have embraced ‘Lockean’ ideology, giving the people the right to resist and depose despotic kings.
But recently, many scholars argue that Locke’s version of the contract theory was too radical even for the Whigs to accept. In their view, it is certainly an exaggeration to claim that Locke’s political theory was vindicated by the Glorious Revolution or that it came to be widely accepted. The Revolution was carried through largely by men at the top of the existing social and political structure, who naturally wished to avoid radical change. For them,Locke’s argument in Two Treatises was so repugnant. It is in fact very difficult to prove that the Revolution was justified by appeals to the Lockean contract theory.
Most members of the Convention Parliament spoke of the original contract. But for them, it was based on the notion of the antient constitution than on the contract theory of Locke. The concept of the antient constitution rested on actual historical evidence, whereas Locke’s contract theory rested on the rational concept of natural and inalienable rights. While Locke ignored the ancient constitution and wrote of rights which were inherent in man, the members of the Convention preferred to appeal to the antient constitution in order to justify their resistance to James Ⅱ. Locke’s argument on contract was not exactly fitted for the aims of the Convention.
What the Convention could never accept was Locke’s notion that the government was disintegrated and therefore power was returned to the hands of the people. He shared this notion with the radical Whigs. They insisted that the Convention, despite having the appearance of a traditional parliament, was indeed a constituent assembly with power to reform the constitution. Two Treatises expressed this radical viewpoint, and Locke’s decision to publish his work was an act of solidarity with the radical cause as it existed in 1689∼1690.

영어초록

In general, J. Locke’s Two Treatises of Government is regarded as containing the Principles of the Glorious Revolution, and the political leaders of Whiggism after 1688 are assumed to have embraced ‘Lockean’ ideology, giving the people the right to resist and depose despotic kings.
But recently, many scholars argue that Locke’s version of the contract theory was too radical even for the Whigs to accept. In their view, it is certainly an exaggeration to claim that Locke’s political theory was vindicated by the Glorious Revolution or that it came to be widely accepted. The Revolution was carried through largely by men at the top of the existing social and political structure, who naturally wished to avoid radical change. For them,Locke’s argument in Two Treatises was so repugnant. It is in fact very difficult to prove that the Revolution was justified by appeals to the Lockean contract theory.
Most members of the Convention Parliament spoke of the original contract. But for them, it was based on the notion of the antient constitution than on the contract theory of Locke. The concept of the antient constitution rested on actual historical evidence, whereas Locke’s contract theory rested on the rational concept of natural and inalienable rights. While Locke ignored the ancient constitution and wrote of rights which were inherent in man, the members of the Convention preferred to appeal to the antient constitution in order to justify their resistance to James Ⅱ. Locke’s argument on contract was not exactly fitted for the aims of the Convention.
What the Convention could never accept was Locke’s notion that the government was disintegrated and therefore power was returned to the hands of the people. He shared this notion with the radical Whigs. They insisted that the Convention, despite having the appearance of a traditional parliament, was indeed a constituent assembly with power to reform the constitution. Two Treatises expressed this radical viewpoint, and Locke’s decision to publish his work was an act of solidarity with the radical cause as it existed in 1689∼1690.

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