John Locke, a highly influential English philosopher of the 17th century, had a profound impact on western culture through his ideas. A widespread belief is that his ideas played a significant role in shaping the drafting of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Consequently, this contributed to distinguishing American culture and ideals from those prevalent in European empires and nations during that period.
The writings of Locke had a profound impact on America, beginning with The Virginia Declaration of Rights. These concepts were later integrated into the Declaration of Independence and subsequently the Bill of Rights. This initial influence has continued to shape American society throughout history. Ultimately, Locke’s principles have played a significant role in shaping ideas like equality, democracy, and material prosperity – leading to the emergence of the “American Dream”.
America stands out from other nations and is known for its embrace of progressive ideas, influenced by John Locke. This influence is evident in the original American charters of freedom. On June 12, 1776, the Virginia Constitutional Convention officially adopted the Virginia Declaration of Rights (VDR). The author of this document, George Mason, aimed to articulate the rights of Virginian residents and drew heavily from Locke’s works.
The initial part highlights the essential equality of all people in relation to their freedom and autonomy, as well as their inherent entitlements. These entitlements encompass the entitlement to life and liberty, the capability to obtain and possess property, and the pursuit of happiness and safety. This declaration closely resembles concepts found in Locke’s writings, which revolve around his convictions regarding the natural state of humankind and their innate rights and freedoms.
In his Second Treatise of Government, Locke summarizes the theory by stating that “Being all equal and independent, no one should harm another in their life, health, liberty, or possessions.” (7)
Locke further argues that the government’s duty is to protect these rights (8), which aligns with his view that the main purpose of forming a government is to preserve individuals’ property (9).
Locke expands on the concept of property to include other inherent rights of man (10), and later emphasizes that even the legislative body must be governed by the primary natural law of preserving society and every individual within it, as long as it aligns with the public good (11).
In essence, Locke suggests that the government should strive for the collective welfare of those it governs.
The VDR and the Declaration of Independence display undeniable similarities, demonstrating the profound influence of Locke on American history. The VDR was the starting point for events that embedded Locke’s ideas into American society, as it incorporated his ideas into other writings. On July 4, 1776, representatives of the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence, drafted by Thomas Jefferson, to assert America’s independence from British rule. The Declaration shares many ideas with the VDR and also touches upon rights, governments, and order. Some of these ideas, attributed to Locke, were actually inspired by the VDR. Nevertheless, they are still Locke’s ideas, which Jefferson embraced as natural law along with Mason, and certainly as Locke himself had done decades earlier.
Jefferson, a representative of Virginia, was influenced by the VDR while writing as a representative of his home colony during Continental Congress. The borrowing of ideas from Virginia’s declaration for adoption by the entire nation is apparent, and it is only logical that he would incorporate these ideas into a statement representing the beliefs of all Americans.
The structure of The Declaration is distinct from the VDR as its purpose was to facilitate independence rather than affirming the rights of citizens. Unlike the VDR, which presents its assertions in a legal manner, The Declaration portrays its concepts as inherent truths that were disregarded by the British monarchy. This resemblance to Locke’s writings is apparent in both texts. Similar to how The Declaration censures the interference of the Monarchy in America, Locke also scrutinizes the British and other European governments during his time.
The first sentence of the second paragraph in The Declaration encompasses three main ideas influenced by Locke’s teachings. These concepts include the belief that all individuals are equal and possess certain rights such as Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness; Governments exist to protect these rights and derive their power from the consent of the governed; and People have the Right to change or abolish a government that fails to safeguard their rights, establishing a new one based on principles ensuring their Safety and Happiness. Jefferson effectively combines various theories from Locke regarding the state of nature, human understanding, legislative power, government goals, societal organization, and dissolution of governments. Additionally, Jefferson’s emphasis on consent aligns closely with Locke’s belief that laws can only be made with society’s consent granted through authority received from them. Furthermore, Jefferson asserts that entering into society or establishing a government aims for individuals to enjoy their possessions peacefully and securely through laws established within that society. It is evident that all these concepts articulated in The Declaration trace back to an initial idea presented by Locke (18) (19).
Locke’s idea that governments should be abolished when they strive for absolute power over the people is reflected in the bold statement on the abolition of governments in The Declaration. According to Locke, when governments transgress this fundamental rule of society, they forfeit the power given to them by the people. He also argues that the people have the right to establish a new legislative to ensure their safety and security. The close alignment between these ideas and those expressed in The Declaration suggests a strong influence on its writing. One interesting distinction that Locke makes is between the dissolution of government and the dissolution of society. In America’s revolution, the government was abolished without disrupting the social structure, whereas in France, the revolution led to the complete collapse of political, economic, and social systems, necessitating a complete rebirth.Locke emphasizes the significance of maintaining a functioning society even in the absence of government. He presents a framework through which the American Revolution can be seen as a nearly flawless instance of a government being dissolved without considering its purpose.
The Declaration of Independence expresses America’s intent to separate from Britain, leading to the war of independence. This demonstrates Locke’s profound impact, as his ideas influenced both the written and embraced principles that guided the nation, ultimately fueling this conflict, which is deemed by Locke as the most ethical and rational course of action. Moreover, Locke’s extensive influence now extends beyond just The Declaration, significantly shaping various aspects of American culture and society.
With its impact on the revolution, it has entered a new era in America; the period that comes after the breakdown of government, as outlined by Locke, where the society reconstructs its government based on the needs of the people. Locke’s declaration that “men can never be secure from tyranny if there be no means to escape it […]: therefore it is, that they have not only a right to get out of it, but to prevent it,” (23) demonstrated the shift of his influence from the ousting of the British government to the creation of the fresh American government.
The idea of preventing future tyrannical leaders by limiting their power within the system is reflected in the system of checks and balances and the democratic houses of parliament (Uzgalis 1; Mason 3, 4, 5, 6, 8; Locke 7, 9, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20; Jefferson 12, 13, 14).
The U. S. National Archives and Records Administration, n. d. Web. 20 May 2012. . Transcript of the original document as recorded by the United States government Locke, John, and Crawford Macpherson. Second Treatise of Government. 1690. Reprint. Indianapolis, Indiana: Hackett, 1980. Print. The second part of Locke’s “Essay Concerning the True Original Extent and End of Civil Government”, edited and with an introduction by C. B. Macpherson Madison, James. “Bill of Rights” The Charters of Freedom. The U. S. National Archives and Records Administration, n. d. Web. 7 May 2012. . Transcript of the original text as recorded by the United States Government Mason, George. “The Virginia Declaration of Rights.” The Charters of Freedom. The U. S. National Archives and Records Administration, n. d. Web. 20 May 2012. . Transcript of the original text as recorded by the United States Government Uzgalis, William. “John Locke.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Version Winter 2010 Edition. Stanford University, n.d.Web.14May2012.. Historical information on Locke and his theories, as well as analysis of his major works
