In the seventeenth century, philosophical ideas were spreading widely in Europe, specifically in the western world. During this period, many of these philosophical ideas closely connected to English literature. John Locke, English Philosopher of the seventeenth century, argued the political ideas of life, liberty, and private property. Locke’s philosophy deeply associates with the allegorical novel Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe, because both Locke and Defoe address the experience, society, government, religious toleration, and land ownership in similar ways.
Locke postulates people acquire knowledge through experiences. Experience gives us two sources of ideas: sensation and reflection. Locke argues that we start as blank slate,
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During the Glorious Revolution, the political system in England changed from absolute monarchy to the rule of parliament, which only supports Locke’s criticism regarding tyranny. “Men living together according to reason, without a common superior on earth with authority to judge between them is properly the state of nature.” (Locke, Second treatise) This reflects on Locke’s claim that men are by nature free and that God created all people naturally subjected to …show more content…
“The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges every one: and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent.” (Locke, Second treatise) Crusoe is concerned with what makes up a society. In the beginning of the novel, the social order gradually begins to come together. Eventually, Crusoe created the island with its own society with him being the ruler. “My people were perfectly subjected: I was absolute Lord and Lawgiver; they all owed their Lives to me, and were ready to lay down their Lives, if there had been Occasion of it, for me.” (Defoe 385) Locke’s idea on government relates to how Crusoe created the society on the island in order to keep each individual to grow