John Locke and the Uncivilized Society

John Locke and the Uncivilized Society offers a fresh and provocative account of John Locke's political theory that both speaks to scholars and the public today. By showing how Locke's philosophical ideas of history, religion, and education inform his theories of consent, property, and resistance, Robinson illuminates how Locke is relevant to understanding contemporary events like radical Islam, Black Lives Matter, and cattle ranchers' rights. For Robinson, our current state of incivility is not a symptom of civic decline but a manifestation of Locke's philosophical ideas that ultimately are limited and self-serving. John Locke and the Uncivilized Society is the book to start this re-investigation of Locke's theories to understand how they are used - and misused - in contemporary American politics. -- Lee Trepanier, Assumption University
Scott Robinson has written an engaging, thought provoking, and timely analysis of Lockean theory and its impact on modern day American politics. He convincingly demonstrates that the current political climate is infected with an attitude of selfish, individualistic resistance towards legitimate political authority. While certainly not blaming Locke exclusively for the cultural and spiritual decline, Robinson persuasively argues for a more philosophically oriented liberalism, grounded in the thought of Algernon Sidney and amplified by classical philosophy and Christianity. This is a must read for Lockean theorists, scholars of Liberalism, and citizens looking for a philosophically grounded explanation of the political turmoil in 21st century America. -- David N. Whitney, Nicholls State University