How did the ideas of John Locke change the way people thought about government? (2 points)

Question

Responses

People believed that governments should protect the natural rights of people.
People believed that governments should protect the natural rights of people.

People thought monarchs should have more power.
People thought monarchs should have more power.

People thought governments should have much less power.
People thought governments should have much less power.

People thought governments should have more power.
People thought governments should have more power.

Answer 1

The ideas of John Locke significantly changed the way people thought about government in the following ways:

1. People believed that governments should protect the natural rights of people. Locke argued that all individuals have natural rights to life, liberty, and property, and that the primary role of government is to safeguard these rights. This idea laid the foundation for modern democratic thought and influenced the development of various political systems that prioritize individual rights.

2. People thought governments should have much less power. Locke's concepts of limited government emphasized that governmental authority should be derived from the consent of the governed and that power should be restricted to prevent tyranny. This led to the belief that citizens should have the ability to challenge and replace a government that does not fulfill its duty to protect their rights.

These two points highlight Locke's impact on political philosophy and the shift toward more democratic and egalitarian systems of governance.