The Civil State in John Lockes Political Philosophy Its Relevance to Nigerian Democracy

The Civil State in John Locke's Political Philosophy; It's Relevance to Nigerian Democracy

Project / Seminar Material
Reference ID: PS-6627-TM

DEDICATION

This research material titled “The Civil State in John Locke's Political Philosophy; It's Relevance to Nigerian Democracy” is dedicated to God for his enabling grace, and to all computer enthusiasts who contributed to make life a pleasant experience during my research documentation.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I extend my sincere gratitude to all those who contributed to the completion of this project. Special thanks to my Supervisor (Name of your Supervisor), the Head of Department (Name of your HOD), the Lecturers in the department of Philosophy, Book Authors and Profound Scholars of existing or related project material on “The Civil State in John Locke's Political Philosophy; It's Relevance to Nigerian Democracy” for their invaluable guidance, support, and expertise throughout the journey.

I am also grateful to your study area (mention any funding organizations, if applicable) for their financial assistance. This research would not have been possible without the encouragement and assistance of some stakeholders (mention any mentors, teachers, or colleagues). Additionally, I would like to acknowledge the understanding and patience of my family and friends during this endeavor. Your unwavering support has been a constant source of motivation. Thank you all for being part of this meaningful endeavor.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PRELIMINARY PAGES


CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

  • 1.1 General Introduction
  • 1.2 Background of Study
  • 1.3 Statement of the Problem
  • 1.4 Purpose of Study
  • 1.5 Objectives of Study
  • 1.6 Significance of Study
  • 1.7 Scope of Study
  • 1.8 Methodology
  • 1.9 Limitations of the Study
  • 1.10 Definition of Terms
  • 1.11 Literature Review

ENDNOTES

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

  • 2.1 Introduction
  • 2.2 Origin of Civil State
  • 2.3 Views of Philosophers through the Ages
  • 2.3.1 Ancient Period
  • 2.3.2 Medieval Period
  • 2.3.3 Modern Period
  • 2.3.4 Contemporary Period
  • 2.4 John Locke’s Political Theory
  • 2.6 The State of Nature
  • 2.7 Social Contract Theory of John Locke
  • 2.8 Democracy in Nigeria

ENDNOTES

CHAPTER THREE

OVERVIEW OF THE LOCKEAN CIVIL STATE

  • 3.1 Brief History of John Locke
  • 3.2 The Lockean Civil State
  • 3.3 The Purpose of Civil State
  • 3.4 The Separation of Powers
  • 3.4.1 Legislative Power
  • 3.4.2 Executive Power
  • 3.4.3 Federative Power
  • 3.5 The Birth of Civil Political Society
  • 3.6 The Birth of Civil Political Power

ENDNOTES

CHAPTER FOUR

THE RELEVANCE OF LOCKEAN CIVIL STATE TO NIGERIAN DEMOCRACY

  • 4.1 The Significance of Lockean Civil State
  • 4.2 The Leadership Question
  • 4.3 Human Rights and Social Justice
  • 4.4 Despotic Political Rule in Nigeria

ENDNOTES

CHAPTER FIVE

EVALUATION AND CONCLUSION

  • 5.1 Evaluation and Analysis
  • 5.2 Conclusion

BIBLIOGRAPHY


The Civil State in John Locke’s Political Philosophy; It’s Relevance to Nigerian Democracy

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 General Introduction

John Locke was born on August 29, 1632 in Warrington, Somerset. His father, John Locke senior, was a lawyer and a small land owner. The family had a puritan and a parliamentary background. He studied at the famous Christ Church, Oxford. He studied sciences, especially medicine under Sir Robert Boyle and was later admitted into the household of the Lord Aschey as his physician and secretary. He later opened up a new chapter in his life and became involved in political affairs of the day.

One of the bases of his political thought was his teaching on the civil state which he best called civil society. In order to demonstrate what a civil society is, he traced its origin to the state of nature from where men unite together to go into civil state. He stated that,

This is done wherever any number of men, in the state of nature, enter into society to make one people, one body politic, under one supreme government, or else when anyone joins himself to, and incorporates with any government already made….1

From the state of nature, people enter into civil state through consent, to surrender their right of enforcing the law of nature to the society for them to setup a lawful form of government they thought fit2.

Democracy being a system of government under which the people exercise the governing power either directly or through representatives duly elected by them3, is taken to be one of the forms of government which people in the civil state may choose to set up. There is need therefore, to explore the ideals of the civil state by John Locke, and to bring out its relevance to the practice of democracy in the Nigerian setup.


1.2 Background of Study

Throughout the history man has always sought different methods of organizing himself into political states. He needed these methods for the systematic organization of himself according to what is befitting to his nature, since he is both a political and a rational animal that is capable of realizing himself fully in a well-organized political state. And so, the problem and question remains, how well organized and secured is his political society? Which method of such organization could be adopted? Thus, he has to seek ways to organize his political society and ensure his security. Such questions are the problems, which concemed political philosophies and philosophers. It can also be viewed as the major problem of an ideal state as we can see in Plato's political philosophy. But as much as man's nature yearns for this perfect and ideal state, where there would be equal right and justice, the idea of the ideal society has almost always eluded him, owing to the complexity of man's nature. That this yearning has led him to evolve several methods and systems aimed at the ideal political state is very evident in man's effort to develop numerous political groups and elites. This is also very clear as regards different political parties that are formed by the political elites in Nigerian situation, today. In Nigeria today, there are many political parties. And each groups intentions are to ensure a reliable and trustworthy party that is capable of presenting a strong and sincere representative who will eventually run for them during elections. However due to people's wrong notion about politics, they could go to any length provided their dreams are profitably actualized even if it warrants stepping on others toes. Whichever means they employ to actualize their dreams, it is important not to overlook the fact that they have good and noble intentions of moving Nigeria forward as it pertains to development and doing away with all forms of corruption. For over forty-five years of the nation's independence, since October 1, 1960, Nigeria has struggled to entrench democracy and democratic values in the land. The structural imbalance in the polity, which has an over- bloated bureaucratic center, has created a desperate scramble amongst the power blocs to have access to the center, which flows abundantly with milk and honey. This deadly scramble has no doubt resulted in avoidable deaths and death games. The deaths of Harry Marshal, the River state's political strong man and the ANPP National Vice chairman, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, a sage, a politician, former Senate President in the National Assembly and the running-mate to the presidential candidate of ANPP, General Muhammadu Buhari in 2003 general elections are eloquent testimony to these facts.

Therefore, the political terrain is as murky and muddied as ever. The absence of a normative order has occasioned the rise of individuals and new political parties whose personal interests appear to be more important than the interest of the state itself. This absence of a normative order could be seen as a modern political absurdity, if ever there is any and a negation of a political state. These individuals and parties annul national elections with impunity, abduct or murder state officials with alacrity, rig elections with audacity and raid the national treasury with tenacity. Before them the state is prostrate and the nation is powerless. The abuses of political powers and the corruption of our political elites is becoming the order of the day.

And unless concrete efforts are made to demystify governance and leadership, by redressing the rate of injustices, abuses and corruption, the craze for power among our political leaders and elites will not stop; it will continue to increase. Thus, Nigerians must be made to imbibe the culture of a decent life and genuine, meaningful access to wealth through hard work, which could equally exist outside political offices and political power. Truly, the art of governance and leadership must be demystified, in order to bring our elected political leaders to serve the people who elected them to the office with sincerity instead of presenting themselves as Kings and Princes.

It is against this thought-provoking background that we are going to view Locke's Political Philosophy, in relation to his notion of Political Power and as it concerns Nigerian leadership. John Locke views political state or society as an association of persons with common consent and agreement. The civil state or political society is instituted as a remedy for the inconveniences found in the state of nature. Thus political power is established when the community gives up their natural power and right of enforcing law, order and preservation of property to the Legislative power.

The nature of Government for Locke is that of trust and embraces only such powers as were transferred at the time of the change from a state of Nature into civil or political society. Hence it is part of human civilization to aim at the perfect state.


1.3 Statement of the Problem

Investigation revealed that the failure of leadership, inadequate checks and balances of the arms of government, lack of security of life and property, and violation of human rights. These problems among others make Nigerian democracy to be in shambles. Every Nigerian is in one way or the other affected by this difficult situation facing the Nigerian State, and it is every one’s duty to make maximum effort towards solving these problems for the actualization of the ideals of democracy in Nigeria. Therefore, the ugly situation of Nigeria democracy is the problem that motivates the research.

Today's political situation in the country makes the questions more glaring when most of our political leaders are seriously making questionable moves towards 2007 leadership race. There is no doubt that Locke has given us a clear and reasonable view on how government should be run. We are not going to take everything Locke proposed but make little critical analyses of his propositions and, apply them suitably to Nigerian Democracy.


1.4 Purpose of Study

Following the afore-mentioned problems, the aim of the study is to first of all explore John Locke’s teaching on the elements of the civil state, and to demonstrate the necessity of this teaching in solving the problems facing Nigerian democracy. In other words, this work seeks for the relevance of John Locke’s notion on civil State, to the practice of democracy in Nigeria.


1.5 Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to evaluate evaluate the Civil State in John Locke’s Political Philosophy. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

  1. To assess the factors instigating the Abuse of Power in Nigeria
  2. To evaluate the Despotic Rule in Nigeria
  3. To assess the relevance of Nigerian democracy in the Civil State in John Locke’s Political Philosophy

1.6 Significance of Study

The study of John Locke's political power has much relevance to the Nigerian politics. The study will address many issues stemming from political, social and the likes. Equally, the study is necessary because it presents a well-established political society whereby important dimensions of political life are discussed and normalized. The nature of political terrain in the country today will inspire us to appreciate Locke's theory well. There is no doubt about it.


1.7 Scope of Study

The study focuses on the Relevance of the Nigerian democracy in the Civil State in John Locke's Political Philosophy. Taking cognizance of Locke’s vast contribution and discussion in philosophy, this study is limited to his teaching on the civil state, and its importance to the remedy of some of the posing problems of democracy in the Nigerian State.


1.8 Methodology

The method of the work is expository and evaluative. This means that Locke’s Civil State is explored and it is evaluated by showing its relevance to Nigerian democracy.

For proper comprehension, the work is divided into five chapters. Chapter one serves as the background which explicates the introduction, the statement of the problem, the aim, the scope, the method as well as the literature review. Chapter two treats the origin of John Locke’s civil state, which is traced back to the state of nature. Also Locke’s view of right to private property is stated in this chapter. In chapter three, Locke’s civil state is exposed properly, with its basic features like the purpose of the civil state, the separation of powers of government, the extent and limit of representation, and the dissolution of government. In chapter four, how the ideals in the Lockean Civil State can be of good help in tackling some of the problems facing Nigerian democracy, is duly considered. Finally, chapter five deals with general evaluation and conclusion.


1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

  1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
  2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
  3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
  4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).

1.10 Definition of Terms

Politics: the activities associated with the governance of a country or area, especially the debate between parties having power.

Government: the group of people with the authority to govern a country or state; a particular ministry in office.


1.11 Literature Review

In order to properly explain Locke’s notion of civil state, there is need to explicate the views some other thinkers have about the civil state. A. Appadorai quoting R. Maclver in his book the substance of Politics stated that:

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature Review

2.1 Introduction

This chapter focuses on the review of related literature. A literature review includes the current knowledge as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic. It documents the state of the art with respect to the topic you are writing. It surveys the literature in the topic selected. In this research work the literature review includes the …

Summary Headlines for The Civil State in John Locke's Political Philosophy; It's Relevance to Nigerian Democracy