How did Thomas Jefferson use John Locke's ideal of a social contract to justify declaring independence?

Since the colonists agreed to be governed by king George III, he had the right to protect them.
Since the colonists had not behaved as good subjects, King George III had the right to rule them harshly.
Since king George III, had treated the colonist poorly, they had the right to ask him for fair treatment.
Since king George III, had not protected the rights of his subjects, the colonists had the right to break from his role.

1 answer

Thomas Jefferson used John Locke's ideal of the social contract to justify declaring independence primarily with the last option: "Since King George III had not protected the rights of his subjects, the colonists had the right to break from his rule."

Locke's philosophy asserted that governments are formed through a social contract, where individuals consent to be governed in exchange for the protection of their natural rights—namely, life, liberty, and property. If a government fails to uphold its end of the contract by violating those rights, citizens have the right to revolt and seek to establish a new government.

In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson articulated that the British Crown had violated the rights of the colonists through various oppressive measures and injustices. Thus, he argued that the colonists were justified in breaking away from British rule to establish a government that would better protect their rights, in accordance with Locke's principles.