John Locke's Influence on Thomas Jefferson
John Locke is most known for his famous belief that all are given the rights to “life, liberty, and property”.1 Locke mainly sparked the political standards for Jefferson, a lot of which came from his book, Two Treaties of Government. In this book, Locke argues that a true government is one where the power is derived by the people, and not by divine right. Another huge idea was the separation of power, meaning the need for a legislature, executive and judicial branch to ensure not one person has all the power. These political philosophies from Locke strongly influenced Jefferson’s beliefs of the right for citizens to hold their government accountable. In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson writes, "governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”.2 This is a clear reflection of Locke’s proposed ideologies of equality amongst all.
1 Locke, J. (1993). Two treatises of government. Phoenix
2“The Declaration of Independence.” National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration?_ga=2.130800015.1653626176.1727 273620-116700913.1727102477. Accessed 25 Sept. 2024