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John Locke's Idea Of Democracy In The 17th Century

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In today’s sovereign nations, there are around 120 nations that subsist of a democratically elected government to some degree. To that end, no such governments existed 400 years ago. This was largely due to tyrants oppressing democracy, calling it an extremely “radical and dangerous idea” during the 16th and 17th century. Essentially, the salient idea of Democracy in America was introduced by John Locke, a 17th century English political philosopher, with his influential ideas of Enlightenment. Locke’s notion of self-ownership and property were revolutionary during the 17th century, and influenced the French Enlightenment, the American Revolution as well as many parts of The Declaration of Independence in 1776. Notably, the famous phrase by …show more content…

The establishment of the legislative power is to produce laws “to govern even the legislative itself, is the preservation of the society, and of every person in it” (Sec.134). It is important, however, for laws to follow these key factors to be just according to Locke. Firstly, laws must be publicized. The people have the right to be thoroughly informed of such new laws, whether it is by publicizing the laws on the walls of churches or announcing them in public meetings. Secondly, laws must be settled and refrained from constantly changing. Alternating laws could result in mass confusion of the understanding of the laws by the people. It also creates opportunities for legislators to write laws that benefit them as laws are easily changed and created. Thus, creating an unjust society. Therefore, the legislative has no need to be constantly running, and should only run when needed (Sec.143). Thirdly, laws are not to be made for the benefit of a member of the legislative chamber. Laws are for the safety and the flourishing of civil societies and should be just and fair. Therefore, the legislators are to follow the laws they have made under the supervision of the executive chamber (Sec.136). This closely relates to the reasons for separation of the legislative and executive power which will be discussed later. To add on, the legislative power has no right to intervene their peoples’ property without their consent (Sec.

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The rule of law is reflected as a core principle of our nation and vital to ordered liberty. To rightly govern the American rule of law it is essential to acknowledge the continuity between the American Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. The United States of America “government” is framed by these two important documents. The principles of the Declaration of Independence constitute the foundation of the government based on the universal equality of all human beings, and the U.S. Constitution founds the political process that is to be followed by the elected officials in governing the people. One cannot be without the other; both are essential for a stable government.

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English philosopher John Locke in his Second Treatise on Government, promulgated in 1690, portrayed in theory the three branches of government that would develop under the United States Constitution: the executive, legislative, and judicial. The legislative branch was, according to Locke and the Founding Fathers whose actions were shaped by Locke’s philosophy, the most significant branch of all three, considering it regulated the purse strings and constructed the laws that later influenced society. Even though Congress was the most relevant of these three branches, each section obtained checks and balances in relation to the remaining two; the president had a right to veto congressional legislation, Congress could supersede the veto with a

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Our Legislature is not prepared to predict the variety all unforeseeable complications that can arise. In these instances, someone must act. The Executive branch is called to answer. For the good of the country, the Executive should not have to have his answer immediately balanced by the legislature. It takes far too long for laws to be enacted or war be declared.

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The founders of any government must face the questions: what do men need from government? And how should government be structured to best guarantee these needs? Through his Two Treatises on Civil Government, John Locke, a 17th century political theorist, attempts to answer these difficult questions. Locke’s declaration that men need government to ensure their rights to life and property is supported by information within Fareed Zakaria’s editorial, “Stop being afraid of more government…”; the size changes of government, observed by Zakaria, occur in order to properly secure the people’s rights, while government should remain composed of three branches, with legislative, judicial, and executive authority.

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Colonial America’s democracy was a work in progress with democratic and undemocratic features. With features like Individual and Human Rights, Equality, and Limited Government, colonial America was continuously finding new ways to govern a new society. While, some of their strategies were undemocratic and cruel, they realized and fixed it with democratic solutions. Their efforts were enormous, and created the free land of colonial America.

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In John Locke’s The Second Treatise of Government, Locke details the role of a government and the conditions under which it is just to resist one’s government. Locke asserts that the government’s duty is to preserve the rights and welfare of its subjects (Locke, 84). This shows that a government that doesn’t respect subjects’ rights is worthy of resistance, a concept still relevant today.

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John Locke has been one of the philosophers who most influenced our understanding of politics, the government, and society. In one-way or another he also shaped our understanding of the relationship between men and women and what this means for our nations. Something that our community has taught us from an early age is that we have to live in a patriarchal society, where men have the right to say, and women have the right to listen and obey. In Chapter V and VI of the First Treatise of Government, John Locke gives us a philosophical and political explanation of the subordination of women in society, which since biblical times believes that women are not capable human beings that can be equal to men. Many people believe that societies, which

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Many Enlightenment thinkers, including John Locke and Baron De Montesquieu, were some of the first individuals who professed their faith in human nature when it came to establishing a successful government. This political system, in which the power was essentially placed into the hands of citizens who directly participated in political affairs, was known as a republican government (Course Pack 58). Other thinkers including Jefferson, Hamilton, and Paine were influenced by this notion of a government ruled by the people, in which the federal government had to include a majority of the population in its decision making process. A republican government strongly discouraged the idea of placing all of the political power in a single entity or branch

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Locke – Second Teatise of Government Chapter 2, 3 Unlike Hobbes, Locke didn’t think then man in their natural state, was selfish and competitive. Instead, he believed that all men were equally governed by reason, and that ability to reason comes from God. • State of Nature = State of reason • He argues that Men already enjoyed rights in the state of nature.

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The arguments presented by opponents of judicial review typically place heavy attention on the fact that the legislature is popularly elected. In contrast, I reckon that judicial review is not nearly as harmful as its opponents sometimes describe. In fact, it plays a useful role in keeping the legislature in check. For instance, as candidates of Congress and President are elected for specific terms, they might want to pass laws that reflect the pressing concerns at the times rather than considering the Constitution laws that would govern our country for the long term. On the other hand, the Supreme Court justices, who do not serve specific terms, are in the best position to evaluate whether specific laws abide by the principles of the Constitution

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How far does this majoritarian rule extend? It has been argued that when men enter into political society, the chief end is to protect their individual property rights; the things which they have appropriated from the commons. As Locke states, since every man has a property in his own person, whatsoever he removes out of the state that nature hath provided and left it in, he hath mixed his labor with, and joined to it something that is his own, and thereby makes it his property. Moreover, once having entered into political society, the property which every man had obtained in the state of nature ought to be protected by positive law.

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John Locke, a 17th century philosopher believed in natural rights, limited government and religion. All of Locke’s ideas became a foundation of philosophy all around America and Europe. His works helped him become the most know and important philosopher in the seventeenth century. Daniel Defoe, the author of Robinson Crusoe follows Locke’s philosophical thoughts. Locke believes that all knowledge comes from experience.

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A few aspects in political liberty will be discussed, including the necessity of government, law, power and authority, democracy and right for revolution. Ideally and similarly, Locke and Marx believed that there was needless of government. However, they justified the necessity of the government in different perspective. Locke advocated the limited constitution of government as the basis of political liberty, arguing that government is needed to protect people’s properties, basic rights and freedom but with limited existence (Steven, 2002).

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Their focus did not adequately pertain to the actual implementation of these laws. He places emphasis upon the relationship to democracies. He details how in a democracy, it is ruled by all the population, and people elected by them. It is thus full of compromises.

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What I will explain to you in this article will, how we are connected with the law and I hope, make you see sense in the importance of our laws in the society we live in. To be against the importance of laws in our society would show one to be ignorant and naïve. I encounter the law on a daily basis when I am driving. I have to follow the speed limit of each road, I have to signal before changing lanes, my vehicle must be in good condition in order to safely drive and I must obey all road signs as they are set in place to ensure the safety of everybody.

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