John locke limited government

Political philosophy advocating a government limited in power

In political philosophy, limited government is the concept of a governmentlimited in power. It is a key concept in the history of liberalism.^[1]

History

Magna Carta and the U.S.

Constitution also represent important milestones in the limiting of governmental power. The earliest use of the term limited government dates back to King James VI and I in the late 16th century.^[2] Scholar Steven Skultety argues that although Aristotle never developed principles and tactics of constitutionalism, Aristotle's political philosophy in some ways anticipated the idea of limited government, primarily as a tool for limiting civic distrust and enhancing stability.^[3]

John Locke, a liberal philosopher, was an important theorist of liberal government.

Writing in his Two Treatises of Government