John Locke was a significant influence on the Enlightenment and the founding fathers of the United States. His ideas contributed to the development of political philosophy and the shaping of American political thought. Two key ideas from Locke that were influential are:
1. **Natural Rights**: Locke believed that all individuals are endowed with certain natural rights, which are God-given and cannot be justly taken away by any government. These rights include life, liberty, and property. He argued that the primary purpose of government is to protect these natural rights.
*Evidence in Founding Documents*: The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, clearly reflects Locke's concept of natural rights. The famous line from the Declaration states that all men are "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Note that Jefferson adapted Locke's property right to "the pursuit of happiness" to fit the American context.
2. **Consent of the Governed and Social Contract**: Locke proposed the idea of the social contract and the concept that legitimate government authority emanates from the consent of the governed. According to Locke, governments are formed by the people to protect their rights and govern through the consent of those governed. If the government fails in its duty or seeks to infringe upon these rights, the people have the right to alter or overthrow it.
*Evidence in Founding Documents*: This idea can also be seen in the Declaration of Independence, which states that governments derive "their just powers from the consent of the governed" and that "whenever any form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government." Additionally, the Constitution of the United States, particularly in the Preamble, embodies the concept of forming a government by the collective will of the people.
Locke's political theories provided a philosophical foundation for the principles of democracy that would shape the American government and influence many other democratic societies around the world.