Locke’s Political Thought: Historical Context and Liberal Influence
Historical Context of Locke’s Political Thought
Historical Context of Europe lived under the effects of a locked-in preponderance of the absolute monarchy. Power no longer came from God, but the average age, which was short, gave the monarch absolute power. Another fundamental element of European life was the Catholic Counter-Reformation against the Protestant movement, which had divided Europe, and England in particular, due to the authoritarianism of Henry VIII, who assumed the presidency of the church. The milestones of this stage, the Council of Trent, are the foundation of the Jesuits, the Carmelite reform, and the Inquisition. Another key point characterizing this moment in Europe was the rise of new science, which can be summarized as:
- Scientific autonomy and rational knowledge (reason).
- Primacy of man and his rights (freedom and equality).
Within universities, discontent grew because they were subject to ecclesiastical power, both Catholic and Protestant. Continental rationalism (Descartes) had not solved the problem of the autonomy of reason. The English experienced the problem from another standpoint, where the empiricism of Locke is a worthy representative. Moreover, England was under debate between the parliamentary theories of the Whigs and Tories. Also highlighted is the strong influence of experimental science, which led to the industrial revolution, as well as the revolution of 1688, which established a parliamentary monarchy. All these characteristics form the background of Locke’s political ideal.
Other Influences on Locke’s Political Thought
Other Times: The political thought of Locke is the pure expression of a pre-democratic liberal conception, which has the following points:
- Influence of the democratic society of the Greek Sophists and Socrates, where the citizen had the desire to participate in politics.
- Problems in turn addressed by Aristotle and Plato’s theory, which confronted aristocratic perspectives. Plato believed that those who govern must be scholars, seeking harmony and happiness for the country. Aristotle followed his master but forgot idealism, and in the Christian era, the idea that perfect power comes from God was included.
Subjects approved outlets for their rebellion when the monarch is unfair (a situation that happened permanently in absolute monarchies). In the Renaissance, man was exalted as an absolute value, the bourgeoisie called for political participation, and political issues were subjected to rational analysis. This is why the political system should achieve equal power among all (a conclusion that Locke reached). The political arguments of Hobbes (absolutist) gave Locke the basis to present his pre-democratic political theory. Logically, political thought influenced history and subsequent politics. A philosophy of enlightened liberals took the lead, with Locke leading to modern European and American democratic conceptions. His influence is notable in Montesquieu, d’Alembert, and Rousseau. Locke takes the idea of the state of nature. Historically, this philosophy-politics led to the Glorious Revolution in England, the French Revolution, and the independence of the United States (1776/1789). In the 19th century, Europe experienced liberal electoral revolutions. For these reasons, Locke is considered the father of liberalism and a promoter of the Enlightenment.