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John Locke's Influence On Civil Government

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Society began to dispute civil rights and liberty-democracy from the seventeenth. John Locke, an English political philosopher whose working had produced a revolutionary influence to Enlightenment and even established a foundation for modern liberalism. The common understanding of Locke that included his criticism of the authoritarian government and the idea of liberal-democracy, which inspired many thinkers and philosophers on the world. Two Treatises of Government, Locke’s most influential work, which contributed to constitutionalism and provided the original concept of civil government. In this essay, it will describe the Locke’s definition of liberty that included a description of ‘property’, the Lockean social contract with state of natural, …show more content…

In the modern political philosopher, he was regarded as one of the founders of liberalism due to he recommended the natural rights and liberty of man at the time, and criticized the government’s hegemony. ‘Locke presents this theoretical account as the philosophical basis of individual rights, such as the right to own property and they right to rebel against government, that have enormous practical significance in virtually any conceivable form of political life’ (Lee Ward p65). In addition, as the essay said in preceding paragraphs that Locke expresses that everyone has their own independent property, that is, self-ownership. The freedom and equality advocated in liberalism was inspired by Locke’s ‘self’ concept, self-property is belonging to natural right of man, and this rights are not allowed to be violated. Natural and civil liberty of Locke, among them, Locke’s theory of natural rights included the property that just said, everyone has the right to survive and to avoid the threat of death, and everyone has the right to do what he wants to when it did not violate the first, and everyone has their own wealth. In terms of civil liberty, Locke advocated the abolition of the monarchy, as constitutional monarchy as the government system. He also suggested to decentralization of government power as a limited government, due to the power should come from citizen. Maintain Popular sovereignty and opposed the monarchical divine right, rule of law and everyone is equal under the

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Locke believed that every person has rights including the rights to life, liberty, and property. Locke also believed that governments should be for the good of people, as quoted in source A “The purpose of government is the good of mankind” (John Locke). These ideas were expressed in the French Revolution,

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Locke believed that it is people’s inherent right to govern themselves. He “championed the social contract and govern­ment by consent”. (Steven) He even went so far to say that people did not need to be governed. All that government is is a framework by which people protect their natural rights, but it only needs to exist in practice.

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Locke He believed that no one’s life should be controlled by anyone but themselves, believed that people have right to preserve their life as they want to and This was the time when government and monarchy had full control over any type of property of people and also controlled people as slaves; they were the only ones living a free life while making others

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He favored representative government and a rule of law so people can have a say and their opinions matter. Locke condemned tyranny and said that when the government violates individual rights, people have the right to rebel. Locke’s writings and views inspired the libertarian ideals of the American Revolution and this inspired people throughout different continents. Thomas Jefferson had similar thinking. Thomas Jefferson used natural rights ideas to justify declaring independence from England.

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John Locke views civil society—a group that is under the authority of an exclusive leader who is in charge of protecting their welfare through legislation—as a crucial repellant to absolute monarchy as well as vital to protecting an individual’s property, because its origin which is the paternal model where an individual gives up certain rights in return for protection from an executive. In his Second Treatise on Government, Locke pushes the idea that God did not intend for a man to be alone, but to have the option of joining a society amongst other men. Continuing with this notion, he explains the origins of the civil society through the paternal model which he considers as the beginning of society of people coming together under one man.

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Locke helped shape the United States government and many other nations governing systems around the world. Locke believed all men were born with the rights of life or your natural rights of liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and a government should protect and respect the rights of individuals. Under the protection of your government he believed “whom the society hath set over itself, with this express or tacit trust, that it shall be employed for their good, and the preservation of their property: now this power, which every man has in the state of nature, and which he parts with to the society in all such cases where the society can secure him, is to use such means, for the preserving of his own property, as he thinks good, and nature allows him; and to punish the breach of the law of nature in other” (Document C). By introducing natural rights the common people gained more power through an equality between all men. Natural rights gave people the right to possess and protect their own property both physical items and personal ideals.

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Locke’s ideas were used in the Declaration of Independence, explaining why Americans opposed British rule. The king of Britain did not acknowledge the rights of the colonists, and imposed taxes and formed new laws without the agreement from the colonists to do so. John Locke believed that the duty of a government is to protect the natural rights of the people. These natural rights were the rights to life, liberty, and property. If a government failed to protect those rights, the citizens would have the right to overthrow the government.

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The rights of “life, liberty, health, and possessions” are an essential key in having a balanced life. The Two Treatises on Government written by John Locke, influenced most ideas in the Declaration of Independence and The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. This document influenced Enlightenment ideas such as religious toleration, the sovereignty of the people, press freedom, the right to rebel, and no taxation without representation. These documents helped create a better society in the word today.

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Locke believed that people were born with natural rights that included the right to life, liberty, and property. Locke argued that people formed governments to protect their natural rights, so the best kind of government was one with limited power and was accepted by all citizens. Locke said that a government has an obligation to the people it governs, therefore, the people have a right to revolt if the government fails at its obligations. Like many other Enlightenment philosophers, John Locke’s ideas reflected on the checks and balance system as well as the Declaration of Independence. For example, in the Declaration of Independence, it says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

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The ideologies displayed in John Locke’s Second Treatise on Civil Government are in complete contrast to the experiences of William and Ellen Craft in Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom. John Locke’s work is known to have influenced the founders of the United States government, and his values can be seen in the establishing documents e.g. the Declaration of Independence and Constitution of the United States. Moreover, Locke’s ideals have had an influence on the values of United States citizens, which has affected western political thought overtime. William and Ellen Craft’s decision to take the risk to escape slavery was initiated and verified by the words of Thomas Jefferson within the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to

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in which he tackles problems concerning life, liberty, property, and, ultimately, the power that the people have over the government. However, to what extent can Locke?s beliefs be accepted? Can they justify peaceful protest? This essay will connect the beliefs expressed in

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Locke wrote his book “ Two Treatises of Government” in this book he stated that he believed the government gained authority through the consent of the governed and that it was the duty of the government to protect the natural rights of the people. Locke believed these natural rights included the right to life, liberty, and property. In the U.S Constitution those natural birth given rights are listed as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  Locke also believed that if the government failed to protect these rights the people had the right to overthrow the government and establish a new one. Thomas Jefferson summed up his ideas in the constitution.

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Locke's idea of natural rights and of the Two Treatises of Government, Voltaire’s idea of religious freedom that infringed on the people's rights and freedoms and set the basis for modern democracy. Along with Smith’s idea of freedom of economics and Wollstonecraft’s ideas on gender equality. John Locke was an Enlightenment philosopher and he

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Locke states in his: an essay concerning the true original, extent and end of civil government, “Which is done by agreeing with other men to join and unite into a community for their comfortable, safe, and peaceable living one amongst another, in a secure enjoyment of their properties, and a greater security against any that are not of it.” Locke believed government was formed when people unite together to help protect their rights to “estate, life, and

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