John Locke

The natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power

on earth
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Who was John

Locke? 2 John Locke’s political
philosophy

John Locke’s

3 influence on political
thinking 4 Tutorial activity
 Who was John Locke?
John Locke (1632-1704) was an English philosopher and
physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential of
Enlightenment thinkers.
He commonly known as the "father of liberalism“
One of his well known for his masterpiece is Second Treatise of
Government.
He was one of the Enlightenment era British political
philosophers who had the greatest influence on the American
revolutionaries.
 John Locke’s political thinking

In Second Treatise of Government, he presented the idea that

government rests in the will of the people, thus those people have the
right to challenge and change their rulers and government.
He talks of “natural liberty” or natural rights and how the consent of
the governed was critical for legitimate rule, positions which later
became hallmarks of the American revolutionary ideology.
 John Locke’s political thinking cont…
Among John Locke’s fundamental natural rights are "life, liberty, and
property."
These rights that are God-given and can never be taken or even given
away.
With regard to life, Locke believed that the most basic human law of
nature is the preservation of mankind. To serve that purpose, he
reasoned, individuals have both a right and a duty to preserve their own
lives.
John Locke described what he called ‘right of self-preservation’. This
right allows men to live freely without interference by anything or
 John Locke’s political thinking cont…
 The decision to preserve life is moral. Should the decision go against
human life or preserving your own life, the decision becomes immoral.
Hence, men has the right to defend their right to life.
 Another fundamental natural right of man is Liberty.
 The natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on
earth, and not to be under the will or legislative authority of man, but
to have only the law of nature for his rule.
 John Locke’s political thinking cont…

 As part of liberty, Locke defended religious freedom.

 Locke advocated a strict separation of church and state. Because
liberty of conscience was an undeniable right, individuals would not
grant the state any authority over spiritual matters.
 Unlike Thomas Hobbes, where the state of nature was characterized by
lawlessness and chaos, Locke believed that the state of nature was a
condition where humans, despite being independent and equal
respected the laws of nature.
 John Locke’s political thinking cont…

• With regards to property, John Locke humanity has the right to own
property.
• The argument is rooted in laws of nature that Locke identifies,
which permit individuals to appropriate, and exercise control rights
over, things in the world, like land and other material resources.
• Locke argued in support of individual property rights as natural rights.
• He argues that a certain number of people are born to be owners and
certain others are born without, hence they have the right to own
property as well.
 John Locke’s political thinking cont…

• He be lived in parliamentary ideals of mixed government and

separation of powers.
• He believed in constitutional change by investigating and considering
the will of civil society.
• Hence, for Locke, no political intermediary (a king or monarch) is
necessary. God gives man free will to form his own civil society.
• Locke viewed a government as a social contract. Thus, government
was created through the consent of the people the majority to be ruled.
So, government existence is as a result of the people’s choice, and not
John Locke’s influence on political thinking
Human/
Property rights Religious
The fact that human beings have
legitimate rule rights, including property rights
tolerance
Government becomes legitimate Government should allow religious
is the they represent the will of tolerance
the majority of the individuals.

Democracy
Government has rule
according to the will of the
majority.
 Tutorial Activity
Discuss the main features of John Locke’s natural rights?

What is a "social contract?" and why is the concept important in the

governance of modern societies?
THANK YOU