How Did John Locke Influence Voltaire?

Updated: April 10, 2023
John Locke's ideas of natural rights and social contract influenced Voltaire's thinking on the rights of individuals and the relationship between the government and the people.
Detailed answer:

In fact, John Locke was a British philosopher who was born in 1632 and died in 1704. He is considered to be one of the most influential philosophers of modern times. His ideas have had an impact on politics, government, law, and education.

John Locke’s ideas of natural rights and social contract influenced Voltaire’s thinking on the rights of individuals and the relationship between the government and the people. His writings were some of the most influential in the American Revolution, which contributed to his status as a hero in American culture.

Locke’s views on government were similar to those of Voltaire because he believed that people should be governed by majority rule rather than absolute monarchy or despotism. He also believed that governments should work for their citizens’ benefit rather than their own power and wealth.

Voltaire agreed with Locke that every person has certain rights, but he also believed that these rights sometimes conflict with each other. For example, he believed that an individual might have a right to defend himself against attack even if it meant killing another person in self-defense (which would violate their right to life). In this way, Voltaire expanded on Locke’s ideas about natural rights by stressing their limitations when it comes to balancing competing interests between individuals in society.

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