John Lockes Checks and Balance - 822 Words

How did John Locke influence Checks and Balances, and how does it apply to today’s everyday life? Locke thought everyone needed to form a society together where there is a system of checks and balances. The main problem in the state of nature is that there aren’t any impartial judges and there’s no clear interpretation of law. Creating a society solves these problems. Locke also felt that the people should elect a series of representatives to keep things in order, not place all the power in the hands of one. Locke influenced Checks and Balances by the simple common sense realization that each word has an equal opposite. John Locke is the father of modern empirical science that demands that both sides of any and all issues be explicitly†¦show more content†¦That theory was tested thoroughly through the chymists and Galenists’ separate theories. Locke tended to side with the chymists on most factors. Being nicknamed â€Å"Father of Liberalism,† Locke’s theories have formed the structure and foundation of many important works, such as the U.S. Declaration of Independence and Constitution. Locke’s theories on property, social contract and the mind are considered to be the most widely known of all theories. Locke went on to explain the principle of checks and balances to limit governmental power. Locke favored rule of law and a representative government. Locke also denounced tyranny and insisted that when the government violates individual rights, that people are legitimately able to rebel. These stated views are most fully expressed in Locke’s famous Second Treatise Concerning Civil Government, they were so radical that Locke never dared sign his name to it, although he acknowledged authorship only in his will. Doing much to inspire the libertarian ideals of the American Revolution through writing, Locke set an example which appealed to the people throu ghout Europe, Asia and Latin America on how to live. As stated before, Locke is most renowned for his political theory. Contradicting Thomas Hobbes, Locke believed that the original state of nature was happy and characterized by tolerance and reason. In that state all people were equal andShow MoreRelatedThe Enlightenment And The Enlightenment907 Words   |  4 Pagesto their subjects. Moreover, Declaration of Independence also supported the Enlightenment principles of government advocated by John Locke. John Lockes ideas that people are entitled to their natural rights and that men are created equal contributed to the Declaration of Independence. When Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, he took some from Locke’s ideas and wrote, ‘’We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal that they are endowed, by their creatorRead MoreMontesquieu s Views On The Constitution1472 Words   |  6 PagesS. Constitution. Although the Framers of the Constitution adopted his ideas, they were not completely plagiarized. A related idea of Montesquieu’s was that checks and balances should be in place to keep each branch in control. Madison and the other Framers were influenced by these ideas and constructed many well thought out checks and balances that are unique to the U.S. form of government. This is an example of paraphrasing someone’s ideas. In fact, Montesquieu also paraphrased other’s ideas. MontesquieuRead MoreJohn Locke: Second Treatise of Civil Government Essay1081 Words   |  5 Pages John Locke was born on August 29, 1632, into a middle class family during late Renaissance England. Locke started his studies at Christ Church in Oxford. He then went into medical studies and received a medical license, which he practiced under Anthony Cooper. They became friends, and when Cooper became Earl of Shaftesbury, Locke was able to hold minor government jobs and became involved in politics. Shaftesbury steered Locke towards the views of a government whose law was fair to all, and all wereRead MoreJohn Locke1098 Words   |  5 PagesJohn Locke was born on August 29, 1632 the son of a country attorney and. Locke grew up in and during the civil war. In 1652, he entered the Christ Church (Oxford) where he remained as a student and teacher for many years. Locke taught and lectur ed in Greek, rhetoric, and Moral philosophy. Locke, after reading works of Descartes, developed a strong interest in contemporary philosophical and scientific questions and theories. In 1666, Locke met Lord Anthony Ashley Cooper, and from then on, this lifelongRead MoreJohn Locke And John Stuart Mill s On Liberty Essay1200 Words   |  5 Pagesand the role the individual plays in society and to the state. Whereas, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and John Stuart Mill have developed a more modernized conception of liberty and the role of the individual to the state and society. Plato’s work the Republic, and Aristotle’s works of literature Nicomachean Ethics, and Politics will be contrasted against Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan, John Locke’s Second Treatise, and John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty. The literature works of the Political Philosophers mentionedRead MoreThe Supreme Court s Marbury V. Madison Essay1140 Words   |  5 Pagesof the historical decision. By first analyzing the political history of the famous case and then by predicting its lasting political consequences, one will find that Marbury v. Madison secured a balance of power i n American government that is integral to maintaining the ideologies of checks and balances and civil liberties. Likewise, political scholars will find that the judicial branch of government bears the greatest political responsibility, ultimately having the most influential power in theRead MoreJohn Locke and Thomas Hobbes on Government and the Governed1307 Words   |  5 PagesJohn Locke (1689) and Thomas Hobbes (2010) share a common underlying concern: establishing a social contract between the government and the governed. To be legitimate, government must rest in the final analysis on the â€Å"consent† of the governed, they maintain. They also share a common view of humanity as prone to selfishness (Morgan, 2011 p. 575-800). Given the modern era, Hobbes views of the state of nature and government seem antiquated; no longer do the masses wish to be subservient to anyoneRead MoreHow Did The Enlightenment Thinkers Influence The Enlightenment?955 Words   |  4 PagesIn dependence we see a good amount of Enlightenment ideas being put into this. One of them being John Locke’s idea that Thomas Jefferson put into this specific document(s). Here, John Locke’s idea of â€Å"life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness†, which are known now as natural rights or unalienable rights. They influence us even now, as many people in their daily life, us this as a way of seeing the world. John Locke also stated that if the government failed to protect the natural rights, the citizensRead MoreJean Domat, Montesquieu And Jean Jacques Rousseau859 Words   |  4 Pagesand no external factors or opinions of the people indicate a want for a king. Overall, based on Montesquieu’s â€Å"The Spirit of the Laws,† a good government would consist of a separation of power and a system of checks and balances in which tyrannical laws can be diminished. Based on John Locke’s ideas Jean Jacques Rousseau focused on a contract between the governors and the governed. This social contract applied to all members of society. Within the contract ‘man’ is seen as aiding a mutually beneficialRead More The Influence of John Locke Essay examples970 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Locke was someone more than just an ordinary man. He was the son of a country attorney and born on August 29, 1632. He grew up during the civil war and later entered the Church of Christ, Oxford, where he remained as a student and teacher for many years. (Rivitch 23) With a wide variety of political and religious views, he expressed most of his personnel views on education and social and political philosophies. Once he noted the five lasting pleasures throughout his career