Final answer:
John Locke's concept of 'dissolution of government' refers to the legitimate right of the people to overthrow a government that fails to safeguard their natural rights of life, liberty, and property. This action is justified when the government operates without the consent of the governed, thereby betraying the social contract and losing its authority. Locke's views profoundly influenced the American Revolution and the foundational principles of the U.S. Constitution.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to John Locke in his Second Treatise of Government, the dissolution of government occurs when the ruling powers fail to protect the people's natural rights, which he defines as life, liberty, and property. This breach of the social contract between the governed and those who govern is what justifies the dissolution. Locke asserts that in such circumstances, the people have the right to overthrow the government and establish a new one that better serves their natural rights and the common good.
Locke was crystal clear that government must operate with the consent of the governed; it is a democratically agreed upon institution meant to protect the people's rights. When a government becomes tyrannical and oversteps its bounds, neglecting the purpose for which it was created, it loses its legitimacy. In this way, Locke delineates a normative claim about when it is rightful for people to rebel, as opposed to a metaphysical claim about the essence of government itself.
The right to revolution is thus not only a defense against tyranny but also a fundamental mechanism to ensure that government remains a servant to the interests of the populace and not the inverse. This foundation informed many of the ideas that led to the American Revolution and the subsequent establishment of the U.S. Constitution, reflecting his influence on the formation of democratic governance and the safeguarding of liberties against oppressive rule.