Revolution

John Locke believed in freedom of belief and defended the right to life, liberty, and property. He lived between 1632 and 1704 and many years later, his political ideas influence the American revolution. “Locke used the claim that men are naturally free and equal as part of the justification for understanding legitimate political government as the result of a social contract where people in the state of nature conditionally transfer some of their rights to the government in order to better ensure the stable, comfortable enjoyment of their lives, liberty, and property. Since the government exists by the consent of the people in order to protect the rights of the people and promote the public good, governments that fail to do so can be resisted and replaced with new governments.”[1]

At the end of the 18th century, Great Britain was gaining power and becoming the world’s greatest colonial power.[2] With the influence of English philosopher John Locke, Thomas Jefferson signed the declaration of independence in 1776. The declaration of independence was necessary for the belief of “all man are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” and these rights must be protected.[3] With the support of France Army, the thirteen American colonists had gained their independence and seven years later, The Treaty of Paris recognized the independence of the American colonies.

While citizens of the United States of America gaining their independence from Great Britain, and the feudal regime had been weakened step by step in the west part of Europe, there was a revolutionary movement in France that lasted between 1789 and 1799 due to lack of equality with the French monarchy. The French revolution was inspired by 17th-century philosophers such as Rene Descartes, Benedict de Spinoza, and John Locke, and the declaration of independence of the United States of America.

“One of the most important documents of the French Revolution, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen… ‘men are born and remain free and equal in rights,’ that government must protect these natural rights and that political power is derived from the people.”[4] In the end, the French revolution brought new regimes, new laws and was able to overthrow the unwanted monarchy.

[1] Tuckness, Alex, “Locke’s Political Philosophy”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2020 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2020/entries/locke-political/>.

[2] Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization Volume II: Since 1500, 10. Ed. pg. 560

[3] Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization Volume II: Since 1500, 10. Ed. pg. 562

[4] Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization Volume II: Since 1500, 10. Ed. pg. 570