How great thinkers like Thomas Jefferson, John Locke, John Milton etc inspired people to rise and fight against
the unjust colonial rule?
Answers
ohn Locke (1632-1704) was an English philosopher who is considered to be one of the first philosophers of the Enlightenment and the father of classical liberalism. In his major work Two Treatises of Government Locke rejects the idea of the divine right of kings, supports the idea of natural rights (especially of property), and argues for a limited constitutional government which would protect individual rights.
To read more by and about Locke go to the main page for <John Locke (1632-1704)> and the list of <study guides and essays> at the Online Library of Liberty
Groups:
<17th Century Natural Rights Theorists>
<Pre-Smithina Economists>
Debates:
<The Divine Right of Kings>
<Religious Toleration>
Topcis: <The English Revolution>
About the Text ↩
Edition Used
John Locke, Two Treatises of Government, ed. Thomas Hollis (London: A. Millar et al., 1764). </titles/222>
About this Title
Locke’s most famous work of political philosophy began as a reply to Filmer’s defense of the idea of the divine right of kings and ended up becoming a defense of natural rights, especially property rights, and of government limited to protecting those rights. This 1764 edition is famous for being the edition which was widely read in the American colonies on the eve of the Revolution.
Copyright information:
The text is in the public domain.
Fair use statement:
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Supplementary Material↩
[The engraving of Locke Thomas Hollis had made to adorn his North American edition. Note the Liberty Cap and the wreath of laurels. This was one of many Hollis had made of leading 17th century political thinkers and poets like Milton and Marvell.]