While the first treatise of Locke is explicitly a refutation of Sir Robert Filmer's 'Patriarcha', which defended the divine right of kings, the second treatise is often interpreted as a response to the absolutist political philosophy of Thomas Hobbes's 'Leviathan'. Locke sought to provide a theoretical foundation for limited government and natural rights, contrasting sharply with Hobbes's defense of absolute sovereign power.

John Locke, a foundational figure in liberal political thought, argued against absolute monarchy in his 'Two Treatises of Government.' He proposed a system based on the consent of the governed, where the government's power is limited by law and dedicated to protecting natural rights, which aligns with the principles of constitutional monarchy.

For Locke, the primary justification for the existence of civil government is the preservation of natural rights. In the state of nature, these rights are insecure due to the lack of an impartial judge. Therefore, individuals enter into a social contract specifically to create an authority that will protect their life, liberty, and property.

John Locke is widely recognized for his theory of the social contract, which posits that government legitimacy is derived solely from the consent of the governed. He argued that individuals possess natural rights to life, liberty, and property, and that the state exists primarily to protect these rights. If a government fails to uphold this trust, the people have a moral right to dissolve it, establishing the basis for limited government.

John Locke argued that the sovereign is not absolute but is bound by the rule of law and the natural rights of the people. In his view, the government exists as a trustee to protect life, liberty, and property, and it must operate within the framework of established laws to maintain its legitimacy.

John Locke, in his 'Two Treatises of Government', argued that property rights exist in the state of nature, predating the formation of the state. He contended that individuals enter into the social contract primarily to secure and protect their 'lives, liberties, and estates' (property) from the inconveniences and conflicts of the state of nature, making the protection of property a central function of government.

The Social Contract theory, popularized by philosophers like John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, posits that individuals consent to be governed in exchange for protection and social order. This concept underpins the idea of a government based on the will of the people, leading to the development of democratic systems where the state's legitimacy is derived from the collective agreement of its citizens.

John Locke published 'A Letter Concerning Toleration' in 1689. This seminal work argues for religious tolerance, suggesting that the state should not interfere in matters of individual conscience or religious belief, provided these beliefs do not threaten public order. It remains a foundational text in the development of liberal political thought and the separation of church and state.

Social Contract theorists, particularly John Locke, argued that individuals possess inherent, inalienable rights—life, liberty, and property—that exist prior to the formation of the state. The social contract is established specifically to protect these natural rights, making them central to the legitimacy of government authority in liberal political thought.

John Locke, in his 'Two Treatises of Government', rejected the divine right of kings. He argued that political authority is derived from the consent of the governed. In his view, the transition from the state of nature to a civil society occurs through a social contract where individuals collectively agree to establish a government, implying an elective or consensual basis for authority.