Philosophical ideas impacted human history, particularly in government. Niccolo Machiavelli and John Locke ideation molded human history on how power should be divided equally amongst the people and the ruler. Their theories began the steps to construction of the U.S government. Machiavelli ideas migrated the power in monarchies away form the power of the church to the King/Queen. Particularly starting in Florence during the renaissance and political enlightenment. Locke ideas came before the American Revolution and were the foundation for the U.S Constitution and partly reasons for the revolution. Though these men were not able to live through or the start of their notions, the people took a hold of them impacting government systems. Niccolo Machiavelli was an …show more content…
He attended Christ Church, Oxford when he was twenty, studying medicine and graduating a bachelor 's degree in medicine in 1656. He practiced medicine for a while and was a personal physician for Caleb Bank. Here he began to get into politics, where then he wrote Two Treatises of Government. Written before its time, Locke’s ideas were composed against absolute monarchies and more focused onto the natural rights of man. Later being added to his works, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, becoming the “Father of Liberalism”. Locke’s ideas from the Two Treatises of Government and An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, were based upon the natural rights where power comes from the people. Both of his pieces contributed to revolutions, most importantly the American Revolution as power from monarchies was removed and democracies were created. Allowed for limited government power and all obligations were to the citizens. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding basis was on how the knowledge existence of God, certain moral truths, and laws of logic or mathematics pertained to the natural rights of
He affected the Principles of the American government by writing books. He had many theories about different things such as political things, educational and others, and he would always do all of this by writing a books on them. from Locke, James Madison drew his most fundamental principles of liberty and government. Locke's writings were part of Benjamin Franklin's self-education, and John Adams believed that both girls and boys should learn about Locke. The French philosopher Voltaire called Locke “the man of the greatest wisdom.
The foundation and nature of the American government has been greatly inspired by political philosophers. Forrest McDonald analyzes the ideas of these philosophers in chapter three of "The American Presidency: An Intellectual History. " Of all the political philosophers, John Locke contributed the most ideas that we're put to use by the framers of the American government. Locke writes the "Two Treatises of Government", which is later studied by the framers and influences their prospective towards the creation of the Constitution. Throughout writing the Constitution, the framers acknowledge significant ideas introduced by John Locke.
John Locke wrote the Second Treatise, a document in which he discusses the idea of the laws of Nature. From his understanding he believes that in order to fully understand what your government is like you need to view it in a natural way. All men are born equal, none of them are better or above one another. Each man his own separate rights. They have the freedom to order their own lives and property.
John Locke is a famous and influential 17th century English philosopher and political theorist who not only influenced and laid the ground work for the Enlightenment, but who also influenced the foundations of the American Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Being one of the authors of the Social Contract Theory, he paved the way for democracy, republicanism and liberalism. One of his most important and notable work’s to this day is the “Two Treatises of Civil Government,” which is the document in which the American founding fathers accredited their work to as they used his political theories to draft both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
All in all, John Locke's ideas have influenced the world. Without his ideas many of the things that are important, such as the government, would be way different and worse. He has gone down in history as being one of the most powerful people and as someone who made a big impact. He has influenced the wars and revolutions along with treaties and other political papers.
He was developing these new ideas during the revolution, which was a very religious period. Because of this many of Locke’s beliefs included references from the bible like how “God gave the world to Adam and his posterity in common, it is impossible that any man but one universal monarch should have any property upon a supposition” (Locke). What Locke is saying is that God gave the world to Adam and only his lineage can have complete control over it. This also relates to the time period because a monarchy was the form of government during this time. Locke does, however, state that God also gifted men with property in “common”, which refers back to labor and working for what you desire
Thomas Jefferson was clearly familiar with Locke’s work when drafting the Declaration of Independence where he stated that Americans had the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The Enlightenment influenced colonists to think rationally about their government, realize what was lacking, and work to change it. John Locke also stated that citizens had the obligation to revolt if their government did not protect their rights. Enlightenment ideas did not result in any real change in the years before the Seven Years War but they were consumed and discussed by colonists who would use them in the years to
It is understood that John Locke played a key role of influence on Thomas Jefferson. This influence can be seen through Jefferson’s writing on the nation’s founding document. This document is called the Declaration of Independence. John Locke, the English Enlightenment philosopher wrote his Two Treatises of Government to refute the belief that kings ruled by divine right and to support the Glorious Revolution of 1688 (Doc 1). This piece of political philosophy provided many explanations for the people’s rights and obligations to overthrow a corrupt government.
Introductory Paragraph (description of theory) John Locke (29 August 1632 – 28 October 1704) is a English philosopher and physician regarded as one of the most influential of the Enlightenment thinkers and known as the "Father of Classical Liberalism”. Locke got a scholarship to Oxford University where he spent 30 years at Oxford, studying, tutoring, and writing. He wrote influential political science and philosophy. Locke 's famous theory had to do with the Social Contract theory. The Social Contract covers the origin of government and how much authority a state should have over an individual.
• Thomas used Aristotle’s view of natural law to justify the authority of the Roman Catholic Church in political as well as religious matters. For the purpose of explaining the fundamental reasons of law he used Aristotle’s philosophy and added the use of an eternal ruler. John Locke • John Locke had a distinct influence on the writers of the American Constitution by advocating for human rights and liberty through democracy. In saying so, he believed that the mass majority of ordinary people can be capable of giving consent to their governor/ruler as opposed to the Monarch government. However if the ruler did not comply with the needs of the people, Locke believed that the public had the justified right to rebel.
Locke is a founder of the Common Sense pamphlet. He believed in government ruled by people. “He expressed the radical view that government is morally obliged to serve people, namely by protecting life, liberty, and property. He explained the principle of checks and balances to limit government power. He favored representative government and a rule of law.
From the 16th to 18th century, countries in Europe were experiencing new ideas and reforms. Philosophers like Locke believed in social equality. They have discussed the purpose of a government and spread their ideas. Locke’s ideas led to the revolution in France, who didn’t have rights under absolute monarch’s control. After the French gained their rights, people in Haiti started to fight because they wanted to have the same rights that French gained during the reform.
Albeit Aristotle and Locke lived 2,000 years apart, their periods in history were similar. Both eras were marked by wars, tyrannical figures, and political and social instability in ancient Greece and medieval England. However, there was one major difference in their epochs, religion. The Greeks practice polytheism, while Christianity was practiced in Europe during Locke’s time.
John Locke and Baron de Montesquieu were political philosophers that debated the question of who was best fit to control the government. Locke and Montesquieu shared similar political beliefs such as natural rights and the separation of government powers. However, both philosophers did, in fact, have their personal views that helped them accomplish important achievements. John Locke published “Two Treatises of Government” and “ An Essay Concerning Human Understanding,” which present a detail philosophy of the mind and thought. Locke’s “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding,” lays out his philosophical project.
Locke believe all people are born free and equal with three natural rights life, liberty, and property. Locke’s theory had a deep influence on modern political thinking. The belief in progress gave people the confidence that human reason could solve social problems. The rise of individualism encourage people to use their own ability to reason in order to judge what was right or wrong.