John Locke (1632–1704) was an English philosopher who greatly influenced how we think about government, education, and the mind. He is often called the "Father of Liberalism," and his ideas are still relevant today.
In his famous book, Two Treatises of Government (1689), Locke argued that everyone has natural rights to life, freedom, and property. He believed that kings shouldn't rule by divine right; instead, governments should protect people's rights and be chosen by the people. His ideas about the social contract helped future thinkers, like Thomas Jefferson, and influenced the American Declaration of Independence.
Locke also made important contributions to understanding how we learn. In Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690), he proposed that people are born with a "blank slate," meaning all knowledge comes from experience. This challenged earlier views that we are born with certain ideas and had a lasting effect on psychology and education.
Locke's emphasis on reason, rights, and education continues to inspire discussions about democracy and individual freedoms, making him one of history's most important philosophers.