Democratising Political Powers through Locke’s Doctrine of Prerogative

Abstract

This essay is an attempt at democratizing, if not completely eliminating contemporary abuses of ‘political powers’ by adopting Locke’s teachings on ‘prerogative powers’ for this purpose. While drawing supportive arguments from other academic sources, the essay discusses Locke’s ‘doctrine of prerogative powers’, specifically attention to some primitive (animalistic) elements of political power, such as; immunity, extra-constitutionality, executive veto, extra-legality and the ‘sacred cow syndrome’, as pliable tools whenever leaders misuse power . The essay contends that whenever there is high-handedness of leaders in a democratic nation, such a state is either a ‘despotic family monarchy’ which has been disguised as a ‘democracy’; or under normal circumstances, there is an abusive use of most, if not all of the primitive (untamed) elements of political power. The essay is not only an attempt to mentor political leaders after Locke’s teachings as they are encapsulated in his ‘doctrine of prerogative’; It further suggest that whatever goes round comes round; hence, if leaders must rule and escape endless attacks from their subjects, then, the task is for leaders to re-model their views on political powers, including their ‘prerogative powers’; no longer as their individual rights but as the ‘federative powers’ of the people; aware that after all, legitimate sovereignty belongs to the people.

Key Words: Doctrine of Prerogative, Prerogative Powers, John Locke, Political Powers, Despotic Monarchies, Civil Democracies.