Locke on Politics, Religion, and Education- chap. 1 JOHN LOCKE ON THE EXTENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE POWER It is easy to see where the philosophy behind our country’s system of government was derived from when you read any of Locke’s essays on civil government. In fact if you have read our own Declaration of Independence it is possible to recognize the similarity between it and Lock’s writings. In many cases it almost seems as though we took from him word for word the passages written in our nations most treasured documents: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…….” (Source: http://www.bookstore-cool.com/A_Declaration.html)Indeed, John Locke’s philosophy had a great impact on the early formation of our nation; it serves as a basis on which we have built this great nation that we live in today. By looking at Locke’s philosophy on the extent of any given legislature’s power it is interesting to compare his ideas to our actual practices. Long ago “man” lived in what Locke called a state of Nature before entering into, or forming, a society. In this "State of Nature" men where naturally free, equal, and independent. No one could be subjected to a political power without his/her consent. Societies or communities are formed when men/women come together and agree to join or unite in order to further their interests as well as the community's. When men and women join a community and agree to form a legislature they give their individual power up to the community. Locke believes that the power given to the legislator or assembly can be no more than ...
