The King of England during Locke’s time, who reigned from 1650 to 1702. In the preface to the Second Treatise of Government, Locke states he hopes his discourse will reinforce King William’s place on the throne, as King William rules by consent of the people, which, according to Locke, is the only lawful government. Locke objects to absolute monarchies, not all monarchies, and he clearly supports King William.
Get the entire Second Treatise of Government LitChart as a printable PDF.
King William III Character Timeline in Second Treatise of Government
The timeline below shows where the character King William III appears in Second Treatise of Government. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Preface
Locke addresses the reader directly and says he hopes this discourse on government will reinforce King William ’s place on the throne. King William, Locke says, rules by consent of the people,...
(full context)