John Locke (1632–1704) was an English philosopher and political theorist who was key in the development of liberalism and provided much of the foundation for the Enlightenment. Having received medical training, he played a significant role in supporting the Scientific Revolution’s empirical methods.
Early life and Education of John Locke
John Locke was born into a wealthy Puritan family on August 29, 1632, in Wrington, Somerset, England. During the English Civil War, his father, also named John Locke, backed the Parliamentarians as a barrister and minor landowner. His mother, Agnes Keene, an intelligent and devoted woman, inspired Locke’s early education and morals.
The foundational skills of reading and writing were imparted to Locke at home. Alexander Popham, a local MP and family acquaintance, sponsored him to attend the exclusive Westminster School in London in 1647. As it was customary at the time, Locke attended Westminster and had a hard classical education, learning Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.
Locke studied logic, metaphysics, and classical languages after being accepted to Christ Church, Oxford, in 1652. But he didn’t think the conventional academic curriculum was adequate, so he started reading more and more modern scientists’ and philosophers’ writings. Locke was affected by René Descartes’s works while he was a student at Oxford and developed an interest in the empirical techniques of the newly developing scientific revolution.
Locke graduated in 1656 as a Bachelor of Arts and in 1658 as a Master of Arts. Locke was significantly affected by the medical practitioner Thomas Sydenham, whose empirical approach to medicine was a result of his developing interest in the field. Locke’s interest in experimental research and his background in medicine allowed him to network with prominent thinkers of the day, such as Robert Boyle and other Royal Society members.
John Locke’s Major Works and Contributions
Three main areas include his primary contributions: political philosophy, religious tolerance, and epistemology.
1. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
In the history of philosophy, especially in the area of epistemology, Locke’s “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding” is a key work. In this essay, Locke challenges the concept that people are born with ideas; instead, he suggests that the human mind is a blank slate. He contends that experience, via reflection and sensory observation, is the source of all knowledge. In his introduction, Locke makes a difference between essential qualities—like solidity, extension, motion, and number—and secondary qualities—like color, sound, taste, and smell—that are limited to the observer’s experience.
This empirical method greatly impacted the advancement of contemporary psychology and cognitive science and served as a foundation for later philosophers such as David Hume and George Berkeley.
2. Two Treatises of Government
“Two Treatises of Government” by Locke is a key work of liberal democracy and contemporary political thought. The Patriarcha by Sir Robert Filmer, which defended absolute monarchy on the grounds of monarchs’ divine rights, was criticized in The First Treatise. Locke methodically refutes Filmer’s claims, upholding the notion that no one has the inherent right to dominate others.
Locke develops his view of civil governance in the Second Treatise. He makes the case that people have an inherent right to life, liberty, and property, and that these rights are the reason governments exist. According to Locke, the consent of the governed confers political authority, and the people possess the right to remove a government that is not upholding their rights. His views on the right to revolt, rule by consent, and the social compact had a significant impact on the growth of liberal political theory and motivated important participants in the American and French Revolutions.
3. A Letter Concerning Toleration
In “A Letter Concerning Toleration,” Locke argues in favor of the division of church and state and religious tolerance. He contends that religious variety is good for society and that civil authority should not meddle in questions of personal conscience. Modern perspectives on religious freedom have been influenced by Locke’s justification of religious tolerance, which was a major Enlightenment contribution. He thought that real faith could not be forced and that coercion in matters of religion was both immoral and useless.
How Did John Locke Influence Economics?
The field of economics has greatly benefited from John Locke’s contributions, even if they are not as well-known as his philosophical and political theories. His works on property, value, and money—especially those less well-known articles and the “Two Treatises of Government”—are where one may find the majority of his economic theories.
1. Property and Labor
The “Second Treatise of Government,” which contains Locke’s notion of property, serves as the basis for traditional economic theory. He contends that work is the source of property rights. By combining their labor and natural resources, people have an innate right to possess property, according to Locke. According to this labor theory of property, the amount of labor required to manufacture an item has a direct bearing on its worth. Later economists, like Adam Smith and Karl Marx, were affected by this concept, which shaped debates about the history and significance of property.
2. Theory of Value
Locke also made contributions to the theory of value, especially with regard to scarcity and usefulness. He realized that the usefulness and demand for commodities influence their worth in addition to the effort required to produce them. This early comprehension of subjective value theory anticipated further advancements in economic theory, particularly those arising from the 19th-century marginalist revolution.
3. Money and Interest
Locke covered the roles that money plays as a store of value and a medium of trade in his works on money. He criticized inflation and said that a steady money supply is necessary to maintain economic stability. He also supported currency stability. For his time, Locke held progressive views on interest rates, believing that the market should set interest rates instead of the government regulating them. Subsequent economic thinkers and politicians were inspired by this conviction in free-market principles.
4. Influence on the Field of Classical Economics
Classical economics derives its foundation from Locke’s theories of property, labor, and money. His focus on the value of property ownership and individual rights had an impact on the evolution of capitalist economic systems. Furthermore, subsequent economic liberalism found resonance in his support for limited government action in economic affairs, especially in the writings of Adam Smith and the classical economists of the 18th and 19th centuries.
John Locke Political Involvement and Exile
Involvement in Politics
Locke’s political career really got going in the 1660s when he grew close to the 1st Earl of Shaftesbury, Lord Anthony Ashley Cooper. Shaftesbury was a well-known politician and a pivotal member of the Whig movement, which favored constitutional governance and the defense of individual rights in opposition to the Stuarts’ absolute monarchy. Locke was Shaftesbury’s personal physician at first, but he quickly developed into a valued counselor and secretary.
Locke participated in important political developments when he was employed by Shaftesbury, including the creation of Carolina’s Fundamental Constitutions, which sought to create a system of government for the American colonies based on the values of property rights and religious tolerance. He also took part in talks about the Exclusion Crisis (1679–1681), which aimed to remove the Protestant Duke of York (later James II) from the English throne. Locke’s political efforts at this time shaped his views on liberty, the rule of law, and government, which he would later express in his “Two Treatises of Government.”
Exile
Locke was targeted by the governing monarchists because of his political ties to Shaftesbury and the Whigs. Locke and other Whigs were accused of conspiring in 1683 after the unsuccessful attempt to assassinate King Charles II, known as the Rye House Plot. Locke escaped to the Netherlands, where he spent several years living in exile, to avoid being arrested.
Locke wrote and developed his philosophical concepts when he was living in the Netherlands. His views on religious tolerance and the value of a government that upholds individual rights were strengthened by his exposure to the more rich and tolerant Dutch society. He composed some of his most important writings at this time, including “Two Treatises of Government” and “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding.”
The Glorious Revolution of 1689, which saw William III and Mary II ascend to the English crown and defeat James II, put an end to Locke’s exile. Locke returned to England after the revolution validated the ideas he had supported, where he wrote and influenced political theory until his death in 1704.
Death
At the age of 72, John Locke passed away at High Laver, Essex, England, on October 28, 1704. His later years had been spent in the home of his close friend Lady Damaris Masham’s husband, Sir Francis Masham. Because of his asthma and other illnesses, Locke’s health had been deteriorating for a number of years. He wrote and corresponded with intellectuals until his death, despite his physical infirmity. Locke left behind a significant and enduring impact in philosophy, especially in the fields of political theory, religious tolerance, and epistemology.
Conclusion
The philosophical principles of John Locke have endured in a number of areas. His views on empiricism and knowing affected other philosophers and helped shape contemporary psychology. His political theory established the theoretical groundwork for human rights and liberal democracy. Modern political theory is still shaped by Locke’s focus on individual liberty, the rule of law, and the separation of powers.
The American Founding Fathers, such as James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, were also impacted by Locke’s theories. They utilized these concepts while crafting the US Constitution and Declaration of Independence. In discussions concerning religious freedom and secularism today, his support for religious tolerance and the division of church and state is still pertinent.
FAQs
What is John Locke’s Theory?
Locke is most recognized in politics for having supported minimal government. He bases his argument on the doctrine of natural rights, which holds that citizens have rights and duties toward their governments and that they have the ability to overthrow them in specific situations.
What Three Beliefs Did John Locke Possess?
John Locke challenged the idea that monarchs had a divine right to govern in political theory and political philosophy. He claimed that everyone has an inherent right to life, liberty, and property, and that those who deny these rights can be removed from office by the people, even if force is required.
What is the Natural Rights Theory of John Locke?
Life, liberty, and property are the three fundamental rights according to John Locke’s doctrine of natural rights. These rights belong to every human being in their natural condition and must be upheld when individuals join a commonwealth.
What Made John Locke Widely Recognized?
John Locke (1632–1704), an English philosopher and political theorist, was essential in the development of liberalism and provided much of the foundation for the Enlightenment.
Was Hobbes or Locke More Influential?
John Locke was the second most prominent thinker of the seventeenth century, behind Hobbes, although his impact on contemporaries was far larger. The English Civil War had ended by the time Locke was writing his main publications.