Why did John Locke think laws should apply equally to all citizens?

John Locke argued that laws should apply to all citizens because he believed that humans are naturally free and equal in the state of nature, governed by the law of nature rather than a natural hierarchy. Because there is no inherent superiority among individuals, legitimate political power must be based on a social contract where government acts as a neutral authority to protect the public good, property, and safety.1234

For Locke, government authority is not absolute but is a "morally sanctioned capacity" derived from the consent of the governed. To remain legitimate, a government must rule through "declared and reasoned laws" rather than arbitrary power. By establishing the rule of law and utilizing impartial judges, society ensures that the rights of individuals—such as property and freedom of conscience—are protected equally, preventing the injustice and violence that would arise if individuals were left to enforce the law of nature on their own.142