John Locke and Natural Rights
In the 17th century John Locke was an early English philosopher who lived during the time of the Glorious Revolution. He was a natural rights philosopher who believed in the protection of individual rights including life, liberty and property. He was a social contract theorist who believed that the people create government. If that government does not protect the people's rights, then Locke argued the people have a right to revolt.
Government by Consent
Locke argued that legitimate government rests on the consent of the people. Government exists to protect rights rather than to create those rights. When rulers seriously violate the purposes for which government was established, Locke’s political theory allowed the people to resist and replace that government.
The Two Treatises of Government
His two most famous books were The First and Second Treatises on Civil Government. These works are commonly known together as the Two Treatises of Government. Published around the time of England’s Glorious Revolution, the work developed Locke’s arguments about political authority, natural rights, property, and government based on the consent of the people.
Influence on the Declaration of Independence
His works inspired Thomas Jefferson who authored the Declaration of Independence. Locke’s political ideas became an important part of the intellectual background of the American Revolution. The Library of Congress notes that Locke’s writings supplied Americans with arguments for natural rights and for rebellion against abusive government. Jefferson’s Declaration famously described unalienable rights as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness rather than repeating Locke’s particular emphasis on property.
Discussion Questions
- Why did Locke believe government needed the consent of the people?
- How are natural rights different from rights that a government simply chooses to grant?
- Why does Locke’s theory allow resistance to government under some circumstances?
- How can Locke’s ideas help explain some of the political language used in the Declaration of Independence?