Locke Ideology and The Declaration of Independence
Locke Ideology and The Declaration of Independence
In order to provide the early colonial Americans with a fair and equal chance to harvest the fruits of life, Jefferson, along with his comrades, drafted the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson’s builds and draws from Jonathon Locke’s philosophy, much of which is presented in his Second Treatise of Government. Jefferson, through his use of language in the declaration, demonstrates the importance of Locke’s idea regarding natural law. This serves in reinforcing Jefferson’s similar, but different notions concerning unalienable rights. Drawing from Locke’s idea of true freedom, Jefferson invokes this ideology within his own discourse, The Declaration of Independence. Through this comparison I am able to formulate certain criticisms of the diction used in both of texts by Jefferson and Locke.
Natural law, according to Locke, is law that is laid down by God with right reason. This law is subject to two particularities, those being, do not harm oneself, and do not harm others. Jefferson’s inclusion of the phrase, “the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them,” demonstrate his clear understanding of Locke’s idea of natural law. Through Jeffersons understanding of this notion, he is able to effectivly illustrate why rule under King George 3rd disregarded many of these rights. Locke postulates the idea that these rights should be forever endowed to free, law-abiding citizen. Consequently, Jefferson is able to explicitly demonstrate while rule under King George is tyrannical and will never effecitivly protect the natural rights of people.
In Locke’s Second Treatise of Government, he uses the phrase natural rights to capture the idea that there are some rights that simply cannot be taken away from the people or be misconstured by any legitmate governing institution. Locke states that, “man being born, as has been proved, with a
In order to provide the early colonial Americans with a fair and equal chance to harvest the fruits of life, Jefferson, along with his comrades, drafted the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson’s builds and draws from Jonathon Locke’s philosophy, much of which is presented in his Second Treatise of Government. Jefferson, through his use of language in the declaration, demonstrates the importance of Locke’s idea regarding natural law. This serves in reinforcing Jefferson’s similar, but different notions concerning unalienable rights. Drawing from Locke’s idea of true freedom, Jefferson invokes this ideology within his own discourse, The Declaration of Independence. Through this comparison I am able to formulate certain criticisms of the diction used in both of texts by Jefferson and Locke.
Natural law, according to Locke, is law that is laid down by God with right reason. This law is subject to two particularities, those being, do not harm oneself, and do not harm others. Jefferson’s inclusion of the phrase, “the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them,” demonstrate his clear understanding of Locke’s idea of natural law. Through Jeffersons understanding of this notion, he is able to effectivly illustrate why rule under King George 3rd disregarded many of these rights. Locke postulates the idea that these rights should be forever endowed to free, law-abiding citizen. Consequently, Jefferson is able to explicitly demonstrate while rule under King George is tyrannical and will never effecitivly protect the natural rights of people.
In Locke’s Second Treatise of Government, he uses the phrase natural rights to capture the idea that there are some rights that simply cannot be taken away from the people or be misconstured by any legitmate governing institution. Locke states that, “man being born, as has been proved, with a