Second Treatise of Government EP16 Separation of Powers

In this episode Professor Houlgate discusses Locke's argument for the necessity of dividing legislative and executive power, giving each type of political power to different persons. He also introduces the concept of federative power and subordinates both it and the executive power to the legislative, the latter of which Locke calls "the supreme power." Finally, Locke draws a distinction between paternal, political and despotical powers, explaining why we should not think of political power as similar to the power of a parent over their children, or like the power of a master over his slaves.