Abstract
Libertarians generally trace their intellectual lineage to John Locke, and a growing number of prominent conservatives in effect agree with their reading. Locke, however, grants several important broad powers to the state that go well beyond what any libertarian would countenance. The Lockean and libertarian political projects are also animated by different ends. Libertarians aim to emancipate the individual from coercive strictures, whereas Locke aims to preserve mankind, and he thus recognizes binding positive duties to prevent the needless deaths of others. Locke does, however, unwittingly invite the libertarian reinterpretation of his politics. There is an undeniable libertarian flavor to his thought. Ultimately, libertarianism is a likely result of Lockeanism that exploits tensions in Locke’s thought to produce a theory much more radical in its political implications.