How Did John Locke Develop American Government

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In the 1600’s, many English philosophers questioned whether or not people needed a government. The founders of the united states used their theories to build the new country. The US needs a representative government to protect its citizens natural rights from being harmed. They used theories from Locke and Montesquieu along with governments from the ancient world to build representative democracy that will insure all citizens are free to live freely.
English political philosopher John Locke influenced the founders with his beliefs in the natural rights philosophy. He created this philosophy by picturing the world in a state of nature, or a world without a proper government.“The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it which obliges every one….No one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions…” (John Locke, 1689) Locke also …show more content…
One example of this was Classical Republicanism in the Roman Republic. In Classical Republicanism, the common good of the whole comes before the individual. “If citizens had the freedom to do such things [reading, thinking, traveling], it was feared, they might stop being reliable and fully dedicated to the common good.” (center of civic education, 14) Classical Republicanism discouraged such things in fear it would set an individual out. To prevent this, they made sure all citizens follow civic virtue, had an established religion, living in factions, and set strict moral education to insure the public was promoting common good. Another form of government is an unlimited government. Opposed to a limited, or constitutional government, an unlimited government has unlimited power. These countryies might have a contisution, but arnt run as a constitioanl government. One leader might run the country on their own philosophies and turn the country into an evasive dictatorship. These types of governments can become corrupt and hurt
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