# Critique of Patriarchalism and Divine Right in Two Treatises of Government

> Theme guide for Two Treatises of Government by John Locke.

Locke systematically refutes Sir Robert Filmer's theory that political power derives from Adam's fatherhood and divine donation, arguing such claims are unfounded and lead to slavery.

## Where it surfaces

- [Two Treatises of Government](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/two-treatises-of-government): The first treatise is explicitly dedicated to detecting and overthrowing Filmer's patriarchal and divine right principles.
- [Book I: Of Government](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/book-i-of-government): Locke systematically refutes Filmer's patriarchal theory that political power derives from Adam's fatherhood and divine grant.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/i): Locke begins his systematic critique of Filmer's patriarchal theory, which derives absolute monarchy from Adam's supposed sovereignty.
- [II: Of Paternal and Regal Power](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/ii-of-paternal-and-regal-power): Locke systematically dismantles Filmer's identification of paternal authority with royal authority, criticizing the lack of definition and proof for 'fatherly authority' and its supposed divine right.
- [Of Adam's Title to Sovereignty by Creation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/iii-of-adam-s-title-to-sovereignty-by-creation): Locke systematically dismantles Filmer's claim that Adam's creation by God established his absolute sovereignty over mankind.
- [Of Adam’s Title to Sovereignty, by Donation, Gen. 1:28](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/iv-of-adam-s-title-to-sovereignty-by-donation-gen-1-28): Locke systematically refutes Filmer's claim that Adam's donation from God established monarchical rule over all mankind.
- [Of Adam’s Title to Sovereignty, by the Subjection of Eve](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/v-of-adam-s-title-to-sovereignty-by-the-subjection-of-eve): Locke directly refutes Filmer's claim that Adam's rule over Eve establishes a divine right to absolute monarchy, arguing that the text only describes conjugal relations.
- [Of Adam’s Title to Sovereignty by Fatherhood](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/vi-of-adam-s-title-to-sovereignty-by-fatherhood): Locke systematically dismantles Filmer's argument that fatherhood grants absolute political authority.
- [VII: Of Fatherhood and Property Considered Together as Fountains of Sovereignty](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/vii-of-fatherhood-and-property-considered-together-as-fountains-of-sovereignty): Locke systematically dismantles Filmer's argument that fatherhood and property together form the foundation of monarchical sovereignty, exposing logical contradictions in the patriarchal theory.
- [VIII: Of the Conveyance of Adam’s Sovereign Monarchical Power](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/viii-of-the-conveyance-of-adam-s-sovereign-monarchical-power): Locke systematically dismantles Filmer's patriarchal argument by exposing its internal contradictions, particularly regarding how Adam's supposed authority could be transferred to later rulers.
- [Of Monarchy, by Inheritance from Adam](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/ix-of-monarchy-by-inheritance-from-adam): Locke systematically dismantles Filmer's argument that Adam's fatherhood and property grant a hereditary right to absolute monarchy.
- [X: Of the Heir to Adam’s Monarchical Power](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/x-of-the-heir-to-adam-s-monarchical-power): Locke systematically dismantles Filmer's claim that Adam's heir has a natural right to monarchy, showing the logical absurdities and practical impossibility of identifying such an heir.
- [XI: Who Heir?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/xi-who-heir): Locke systematically dismantles Filmer's claim that political power is divinely assigned to Adam's heir, showing the theory is incoherent without a rule to identify that heir.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/i): Locke systematically dismantles Filmer's argument that political authority descends from Adam's fatherhood.
- [VI: Of Paternal Power](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/vi-of-paternal-power): Locke argues that paternal power is not absolute or political, and that the term 'paternal' wrongly excludes mothers, undermining patriarchal claims to monarchy.
- [Of the Beginning of Political Societies](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/viii-of-the-beginning-of-political-societies): Locke argues that the origin of political society is not paternal authority, but consent, countering Filmer's patriarchal theory.
- [XV: Of Paternal, Political, and Despotical Power, Considered Together](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/chapters/xv-of-paternal-political-and-despotical-power-considered-together): Locke explicitly separates paternal power from political power, rejecting the patriarchal model of absolute monarchy.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/themes/critique_of_patriarchalism_and_divine_right
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/two_treatises_of_government_se/themes