Lockean Limited Government Theory

A Lockean Limited Government Theory is a limited government theory that grounds governmental authority in popular consent and restricts it to protecting natural rights.

• AKA: Locke's Limited Government Theory, Lockean Constitutionalism, Consensual Government Theory, Natural Rights Limited Government Theory.
• Context:
  • It can typically assert Government Legitimacy through social contracts.
  • It can typically limit State Authority to protecting life, liberty, and property.
  • It can typically justify Right of Revolution against tyrannical governments.
  • It can often establish Property Rights as foundational to political freedom.
  • It can often require Separation of Powers between legislative and executive functions.
  • It can often mandate Rule of Law over arbitrary decrees.
  • It can range from being a Minimal Lockean Limited Government Theory to being an Expansive Lockean Limited Government Theory, depending on its government scope.
  • It can range from being a Property-Focused Lockean Limited Government Theory to being a Rights-Focused Lockean Limited Government Theory, depending on its primary emphasis.
  • It can range from being a Revolutionary Lockean Limited Government Theory to being a Reformist Lockean Limited Government Theory, depending on its change mechanism.
  • It can range from being a Secular Lockean Limited Government Theory to being a Theistic Lockean Limited Government Theory, depending on its religious grounding.
  • ...
• Examples:
  • Historical Lockean Implementations, such as:
    • English Bill of Rights (1689) limiting monarchical power.
    • American Declaration of Independence (1776) asserting natural rights.
    • U.S. Constitution (1787) establishing limited federal government.
  • Core Lockean Principles, such as:
    • Consent of the Governed Principle for political legitimacy.
    • Natural Rights Doctrine preceding government formation.
    • Fiduciary Government Theory as trustee of public good.
  • Modern Lockean Applications, such as:
    • Constitutional Democracy Models with rights protection.
    • Libertarian Political Philosophy emphasizing minimal states.
  • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • Hobbesian Absolute Sovereignty Theory, which permits unlimited government.
  • Rousseauian General Will Theory, which allows collective overrides.
  • Utilitarian Government Theory, which maximizes aggregate welfare.
• See: John Locke, Limited Government Theory, Natural Rights Theory, Social Contract Model, Property Rights Theory, Right of Revolution, Constitutional Government, Liberal Political Philosophy, Separation of Powers Principle.

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