Locke Vs Kant

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I also agree with Locke’s argument that if the contract has been violated by the ruler, then it is the role of the citizens to take up arms against that government. Kant emphasizes the importance of duty and argues that, “even if the power of the state or its agent, the head of the state, has violated the original contract […] the subject is still not entitled to offer counter resistance”(81). In What is Enlightenment ?, however, Kant explains that, “the duty of all men [is] to think for themselves”(55). Kant acknowledges the importance of questioning and forming judgements about the government, but condemns turning thoughts into actions. Kant explicitly states that, “it would be permissible to pass general and public judgements upon them, …show more content…

that, it is more likely that an entire society enlightening itself, than it is for individual to achieve enlightenment. In Perpetual Peace, Kant professes that, “reason, which is pragmatically capable of applying the ideas of right according to this principle, constantly increases with the continuous progress of culture”(124). According to Kant, society is slowly progressing, so one can infer that our capacity for reason is also slowly improving and enlightening society as a whole. This progress cannot happen, however, if citizens are bound by duty and are forbidden from taking action and rebelling against their corrupt government. In agreement with Locke, it is citizen's’ duty to help progress society and obey their rulers, but if those rulers are inhibiting their citizens from achieving enlightenment, then I would disagree with Kant and encourage those citizens to take action and attempt to reform their government. A compact that has its citizens worse off than if they were in the state of nature should be questioned and changed, even if it means entering into a state of nature. If Kant’s belief that, “the human race will [...] henceforth progressively improve without any more total reversals” (184), then society will continue on its path towards enlightenment, despite

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