Essay John Lockes Theories in The Declaration of...

John Lockes Theories in The Declaration of Independence When looking at the Declaration of Independence and the justifications which Jefferson used in order to encourage the dissolve of the ties between the United Colonies and Great Britain, it becomes apparent how much of the theories of John Locke that Jefferson used as the basis for his argument. Focusing particularly on the second paragraph of the Declaration, the arguments for the equality of each man and the formation and destruction of governments come almost directly from Lockes Second Treatise of Government. The other arguments in the Declaration of Independence deal primarily with each citizens rights and the natural freedoms of all men, two areas that Locke also spent†¦show more content†¦This idea comes almost directly from Lockes ideas that the state exists to preserve the rights of its citizens and that the citizens have the right to break up the government if it is not doing so. This argument is in shown chapter thirteen, section 149, of The Second Treatise of Gove rnment where Locke says that even after forming a government, there remains still in the people a supreme power to remove or alter the legislative when they find the legislative act contrary to the trust reposed in them#8230;and thus the community perpetually retains a supreme power of saving themselves from the attempts and designs of anybody,#8230;[who would] carry on designs against the liberties and properties of the subject. Locke also acknowledges that the executive branch which enforces the laws and therefore includes the police and military could turn that force against the people and their elected representatives, the legislature. Locke says that would constitute a state of war with the people who have a right to reinstate their legislature. Jefferson used this idea in particular to defend his move to dissolve ties with Britain saying that Britain had used its military powers against the people of the Colonies and therefore a state of war with them had resulted. In The Second Treatise of Government, Locke also discusses the ends ofShow MoreRelatedAge Of Enlightenment755 Words   |  4 Pagesintellectual thinkers, such as John Locke, which helped shape and influence modern government and politics. John Locke is recognized as the father of classical liberalism, introducing the Two Treatises of Government, Social Contract, and private property, which formed the basis for the constitutions in westernized democratic powers such as the United States of America and the United Kingdom. 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