Locke on Legitimate Power

Book II, Chapter I, Section 2: The main purpose I have included this passage is to show that Locke properly distinguishes between different types of power. He does so because each type of power has its own proper authority. To exercise the power and authority of a father when one is the ruler of a commonwealth is mistaken, dangerous, and wrong.

Likewise, we must think about the power of a business owner. If that power is not the Hobbesian power to kill one’s equals, what is it? Whatever we may wish to say about Hobbes, he at least has an answer. If we are going to say that his answer is mistaken, we need to have something to take its place or our remarks are idle criticism.

Since political power is the power to make laws with penalties of death – it is probably safe to say that business power is distinct from political power on this account. Remember, we are talking about the proper sphere of authority. A father can kill his family just as assuredly as a businessperson could take the life of a rival. This, however, does not make the father’s power one of political power. Paternal power and political power are different things, though one can abuse both. The same is true about business. The legitimate power a business owner possesses is not political power.

What then is the legitimate power of those in business?

In Chapter II, Sections 4-6, we get the beginning of an answer. For Locke, legitimate power does not depend on the existence of the state (as it does for Hobbes). Our equality means that no one is born with legitimate political power over another. The state of nature is “a state of perfect freedom to order their actions and dispose of their possessions and persons, as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature; without asking leave, or depending upon the will of any other man.”

This state of perfect freedom focuses on what you may do with your own person and belongings. Unlike Hobbes, Lockean agents are bound by the Laws of Nature: “being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions” (Cap II, Section 6).

Therefore, the limits of the legitimate power of anyone, including the business person, are defined by these rights that precede the commonwealth and its ruler.

BK