John Locke
John Locke was born on August 29, 1632, into a middle class family during late Renaissance England. Locke started his studies at Christ Church in Oxford. He then went into medical studies and received a medical license, which he practiced under Anthony Cooper. They became friends, and when Cooper became Earl of Shaftsbury, Locke was able to hold minor government jobs and became involved in politics. Shaftsbury steered Locke towards the views of a government whose law was fair to all, and all were under the law. In 1679, Shaftsbury was tried for treason against James, Duke of York, who would later become King James II. Shaftsbury had tried to prevent James's right of succession, so he fled to Holland, and Locke followed. Locke returned to England with Queen Mary when she overthrew James II in the Glorious Revolution. The support which Locke showed for Mary demonstrates his mindset of politics, and shows his opposition towards despotic rulers and divine right. Locke saw many important men while in England, including Sir Isaac Newton, of whom he wrote. Through Locke's friendships with numerous government officials, Locke became influential in the politics of the seventeenth century. Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding,
The ruler or authority over a society should be an individual chosen by the people, to represent the peoples' ideas, and to use its power to help the citizens of that society. The people consent and agree to respect and obey the authority which they have chosen. The people must, out of common decency, obey the government's law, when it is in harmony with that of the natural law, which is present in the state of nature. Another prominent reason as to why Locke's system of government works so well is because it develops innocently out of the state of nature, solely for the well being of the society's individuals, which is achieved through the unity of those individuals to form the society. The ruler of a society possesses several powers, which it holds through the people. The ruler has the power, and obligation, to protect its subjects life, freedom, and property. The branches of government are always in check with one another, so that no one branch becomes dominant over the others. The government does not have the ability to raise taxes without the consent of the people, nor to separate its powers. The government must not oppress the people whom it governs, and must not abuse its power, lest the society fall in anarchy.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Shaftsbury Locke, Newton Locke's, Isaac Newton, Human Understanding, Locke Mary, Church Oxford, II Shaftsbury, Holland Locke, john locke, system government, locke's theory government, locke's system, locke's theories, punish offenders, theories government, life freedom, branches government, form society, locke's theories government, locke's system government, locke's theory,
Approximate Word count = 1117
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
