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Compare and contrast the philosophy or john locke and aristotle
Compare and contrast the philosophy or john locke and aristotle
Compare and contrast the philosophy or john locke and aristotle
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Locke stated that people were born with natural rights, the right to life, liberty, and property. One of the most famous quotes from the Declaration of Independence states those rights as, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Thomas Jefferson, the writer of that quote got his idea from John Locke. Another grand idea modified from one of Locke’s, was the people’s power to overthrow the government- in a legal way of course. John Locke, according to ushistory.org, stated that citizens could overthrow their government if it failed to protect their three natural rights.
Locke believed that the government was to protect the people’s natural rights. On the people’s behalf they must follow the laws of the land. The Declaration of Independence says “That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive …, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it…” Locke states, “…that he who attempts to get another man into his absolute power, does thereby put himself into a state of war with him...” and create a new political system.
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.
New England was fed up with the Church of England and the Puritans wanted to recreate their own religion which they thought was more what God had believed was the intended belief. They both decided that neither of them like the way England was set up and said that England was no good for their beliefs. They planned to leave England and go to the new world to set up a life where their children had the chance to be raised in a perfect society with no corruption. Concentrated on town life and industries, they made a living off of fishing, whaling and shipbuilding. Whale oil was key because it made their lamps.
In "Second Treatise on Civil Government (1689)" by John Locke, the philosopher states his theory about the origin of government was from the will of the people and that the people has the right to change their rulers and state. In order for a union to exist, people as a whole must be equal in the sense that social class does not affect ones influence on government because every person is born with the same opportunities. Unquestionably, we all have natural rights that law cannot take away from us, but there are some things that people must follow to keep peace in the state. Granted the people are who decide how government should be and who our next rulers, are but there are times where the state makes the wrong decisions and rebellions/revolutions
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.
John Locke’s major philosophies included the Social Contract and the Second Treatises of Government which influenced the Constitution of the United States. John Locke expressed his ideas on human nature and government in his famous Social Contract and The Second Treatise of Government which greatly influenced James Madison to write The Constitution of the United States. According to, (What life would be like in a “State of Nature”,2017), John Locke had no doubt that the State of Nature has a law in which everyone must follow. Those fundamental rights consist of the right to life, liberty, and property. Human Nature results in individuals living without government, which allowed Locke to believe life without government will provoke violence
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.
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.”
Throughout our education careers, we should have learned the importance of both sides of the Constitution debate. However, many have only seen the winning side (Federalist) then the opposing side (Anti-federalist's). The main arguments that arose during the debate concerning the United States Constitution was that the Anti-federalist believed the constitution threatened liberties, failed to protect individuals rights, threatened the sovereignty of the states, and gave to much power to the federal government. Most of the individuals on the opposing side was farmers and workers, which was mainly against anything dealing with a strong national government. They believed that the Bill of Rights would prevent individuals rights from being taken.
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.
With John Locke’s idea of natural rights people have more control over something in their lives, without natural rights the government would have
Locke’s beliefs that the government only has the right to govern if the people consent for it to do so is apparent in both The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States of America. The Declaration of Independence states: This is derived from Locke’s idea that Also, in Article I of The Constitution, a direct outline is provided to ensure the inclusion of a proper Representative of the states, to protect this philosophy. Both John Locke and the Founding Fathers stress the importance of the people dictating the government’s actions, not the opposite. Thus, the two basic ideals of the United States’ government- the right of the individual to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and the government existing only from the consent of the people- identically match those put forth in John Locke’s Two Treatises of Government, making John Locke one of the most influential philosophers in the founding of the United States of America.
Written in 1690, Two Treatises of Government by John Locke discusses some of the most important values a society should have. Locke believes that all people enter this world with three natural rights: life, liberty, and property. If a leader attempts to take away these natural rights, the people are entitled to the ability to revolt against their ruler. Since each and every person is guaranteed these three rights, it ensures that all the members of the given society will be treated equally from the very start of their time in this world. Moreover, the idea that all people are equal, all people live in freedom, and a leader does not have absolute power, is stressed throughout Locke’s document.
John Locke is an enlightened political philosopher whose explanations to his ideas remains profoundly influential. Locke believes people should have the right to do anything they want without the government enforcing them to do a task. In The Second Treatise, Locke discusses some vital concepts of his thinking, beginning with a discussion of the State of Nature. He explains that humans move from a state of nature characterized by perfect freedom and are governed by reason to a civil government in which the authority is vested in a legislative and executive power. In the State of Nature, men are born equal, to have perfect liberty to maintain.
