20 HALVDAN KOHT. [No. 3. 



Appendix. 



Locke and the Declaration of Independence. 



It has been generally observed that the philosophy of the 

 Declaration of Independence is based upon the political theories 

 of John Locke. Perhaps the similarity between the work of 

 Locke and the American document is even closer than is gene- 

 rally snpposed. I think it may be shown that the author of 

 the Declaration not only was imbued vvith the general theories of 

 Locke, but actually imitated the language in which they were 

 clothed. 



This becomes evident by comparing the Declaration of In- 

 dependence vvith the last chapter in Locke's "Two Treatises of 

 Government", which is headed: "Of the Dissolntion of Govern- 

 ment" (Book II, Chap. XIX, §§ 211—243; edition of 1698, 

 pp. 330-358). 



Locke here argues (§§ 212 — 215) that governments are dis- 

 solved, in the first place, when the Legislative in some way is. 

 altered or broken, for instance if the King sets up his own 

 arbitrary will in the place of the laws, or hinders the Legislative 

 from assembling in its due time or from acting freely. This 

 corresponds exactly to the first six grievances of the Declaration 

 of Independence, that the King has refused his assent to neces- 

 sary laws and to pass other laws, that he has called together 

 legislative bodies at places unusual and uncomfortable, that he 

 has repeatedly dissolved representative Houses, and that he has 

 refused for a long time to cause others to be elected. 



