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

Question

COURSE TOOLS
• People thought governments should have much less power.
• People thought governments should have more power.
• People thought monarchs should have more power.
• People believed that governments should protect the natural rights of people.

Answer 1

John Locke's ideas significantly influenced political thought regarding government in two key ways:

1. People believed that governments should protect the natural rights of people: Locke argued that individuals have inherent rights to life, liberty, and property. He asserted that the primary role of government is to protect these rights, which shifted the focus of governance from absolute power to a system where the government's legitimacy is based on its ability to safeguard the rights of its citizens.

2. People thought governments should have much less power: Locke's theory of the social contract emphasized that government's authority is derived from the consent of the governed. This idea challenged the traditional notion of absolute monarchy and suggested that rulers should not wield unchecked power, leading to a belief in limits on governmental power and the importance of individual freedoms.

These ideas helped lay the groundwork for modern democratic thought and the development of political systems based on individual rights and limited government.