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How Did John Locke Contribute To Government

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John Locke John Locke was a privileged and renowned English philosopher who proposed several theories in order to better governance. His theories were eventually implemented by the founding fathers and ended up having lifelong impacts on the American government we have today. Though his profound ideas have shaped the foundation of our government, some aspects of his legacy are negative. Evaluating Locke’s several ideas allows us to understand his philosophy’s positive and negative contributions to the American political system, and how he can improve upon them. One of Locke's most significant contributions to America is his two treatises, which pair with his emphasis on liberalism and their five characteristics. His first treatise is lesser …show more content…

American democracy is based on the idea of limited government, meaning that the people have natural rights, as well as a social contract that indicates an agreement between the government and the people being governed. Through the emphasis on limited government, Locke helped lay down a foundation that protects citizens’ rights and prevents unreasonable use of power. Furthermore, Locke’s idea of impartial judges is seen within America’s judiciary system, where the judges help to decide disputes about federal laws or conflicts between other people. The system’s goal is to fight for the rights of the people and determine what is right and wrong based on the evidence and impartiality of the judges and the individuals in the court. Though the majority of Locke’s philosophy translates seamlessly into America’s government, however, some of his legacies negatively affect the people and can cause conflict. One of these negative legacies is property rights, he says that these rights are a foundation of individual freedom and what we get is based on the work that we put

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