John Locke on Political Membership: Towards a History of the Idea of Citizenship

KASHIWAZAKI Masanori

There are many questions yet to be solved in a histor y of the idea of citizenship, particularly in its early modern period. The study of citizenship has to address itself to John Locke not as a modern liberal theorist as a 17th century thinker. Although the abstract relationship of individuals and the state was almost discernible in the era of absolute monarchy, it was legally conceived as the personal, natural and permanent relationship of a monarch and his subjects. On the other hand, Locke insists the obligation to obey the government is based on the consent given by men born free. This leads him to establish a type of subjectship as the means by which one voluntarily joins a political society. He also provides a historically new type of civic virtue, namely industry as the encouragement of moral life in accordance with the law of nature. Locke thus conceptualizes political subjects as citizens.