Locke: Two Treatises of Government Student edition by Peter Laslett - Oct 1988

Cambridge University Press, Oct 1988. 3rd Student Manual/Study Guide. Paperback. There are many cheap paperback editions of Locke's 'Two Treatises' but this has become the standard. Laslett's excellent introduction is almost a work in itself and shows how close attention to historiographical detail can completely transform the meaning of a text. The traditional view that Locke was writing in defense of the glorious Revolution of 1688 is undermined by his detailed argument that only a small portion of the book was composed after that event, and that most of it was written to defend the failed attempt to exclude the Duke of York (the future James II) from the throne. The Two Treatises themselves are well annotated by Laslett who provides much useful information. In short, if you are a student looking for copy of the Two Treatises, make sure you use this edition!