John Locke and Reasons for Government John Locke

John Locke and Reasons for Government

John Locke � 1632 -1704 � English philosopher and physician during the Enlightenment � Known as the Father of Liberalism (? ) � His ideas about government influenced our founding fathers

Tabula Rasa � Tabula Rasa means “blank slate” � This was Locke’s idea that people are born free, and that knowledge comes with experience � Locke also believed that people are born “good”

Island Group Activity � In your group, imagine that you live on an island with a very small amount of people � You are one of the smartest and strongest people on your island � Everyone else on the island has less intelligence and strength than your group � You have no regulations on what you can and can’t do � How will you decide who gets food, shelter, water, and other resources? � With your group, decide how everyone will go about getting the things that he or she needs on the island

State of Nature � What you experienced was what Locke called a “state of nature. ” � This means there is not government, and everyone is free do as they please � And the problem is…

Back to Your Island � Now, imagine your island community has decided to create its own government, and has elected your group as its leaders � With your group, create five rights that every islander will have

Locke’s Natural Rights � Locke believed that every human is born with “natural rights” � These rights can not be taken away from anyone, including the government � These rights are ◦ Life ◦ Liberty ◦ Property

So Why Have Government? � With your group, come up with as many reasons for having government as you can � These don’t have to be related to Locke, just think about things that the government does today � Governments… ◦ ◦ ◦ Help people get along Protect people’s rights (state of nature) Provide rules to follow Provide services Put ideals into practice (? )

Social Contract: Government at the Consent of the Governed � Locke believed government was necessary, but he believed governments can only run with the approval of the people � Social Contract ◦ What is a contract? ◦ How would citizens of a country have a contract with the government? ◦ Examples? � Social Contract: people give up certain rights in order to have other rights protected � If a government begins to take away too many rights, the people have the right to overturn the government

What is a Citizen? � So that’s what it means to have a government…but what are the responsibilities and duties of citizens?