Second Treatise of Government - 5 - Conclusion
Conclusion
Quote
That glorious doctrine — the right to rebellion — has been used to justify rebellions other than the one in 1688. Thomas Jefferson read Locke, as did Robespierre, as did Marx, as did Lenin. Ideas, it has been said with some truth, are the rulers of the world. - Charles Van Doren
Notes
π₯ John Locke lived through massive political upheaval in England during his lifetime, both with regard to politics and religion. His writing became extremely influential, in particular with the idea that no government is legitimate which does not have the consent of the people.
π₯ The Two Treatises were written partly to refute the pro monarchy and pro divine-right-to-rule works that were going around at the time. And to establish that governments are granted the power to rule from the people.
π₯ His work was Initially kept secret and then published anonymously since someone who wrote on a similar topic earlier was executed for it.
π₯ Locke is virtually synonymous with liberalism: βHis vocabulary of liberty, equality, rights and consent is ours and his accent on property chimes with the primacy of economics in modern politics.β (From the introduction to the Second Treatise of Government by Mark Goldie.)