John Locke, a political philosopher, wrote in A Letter Concerning Toleration, “That liberty of conscience is every man’s natural right, equally belonging to dissenters as to themselves; and that nobody ought to be compelled in matters of religion either by law or force” (57). Locke’s revelation that religion and its practices are not to be restricted on the grounds of human will was a profound step toward the development of liberal thought. His vision was for man to be ruled by God and not by a single entity that could dictate the religious practices of the people. Not only did this strike discord in his country, England, who was operating on a monarchial system of government, but it also inspired a movement amongst its colonies in North America. Throughout A Letter Concerning Toleration, Locke shows how Christians are acting toward other sects and denominations, which fuels his letter on tolerance because of the hypocrisy they are representing. Through the example of the Christians in England, Locke concludes that man ought not to be persecuted by their form of religion whether it be of Christian origin or not. This idea sparked his revelation that man should have the freedom to choose their religion and the right to voice their opinions based on God’s definition of “liberty of conscience” (Locke 57). Locke’s vision of religious freedom and free speech influenced not only the minds of his followers, but resulted in the development of the Declaration of Independence and United States’ First Amendment, thereby paving the way for democracy throughout the world.
Locke’s following led to the period in history deemed as the Enlightenment; this led the great insurrection in the western colonies of England later known as the United States of America. The cause of this revolution was grounded by Thomas Jefferson, who studied and meditated on the teachings of Locke, thereby showing favor to his instruction. Jefferson valued Locke’s wisdom so much that he thought of Locke as one of the “greatest men that have ever lived, without any exception, and as having laid the foundation of those superstructures which have been raised in the physical and moral sciences” (qtd. in Brown 80). He also showed the significance of Locke’s theories by using them to create a document, known as the Declaration of Independence, to declare the eastern colonies freedom from England in 1776. In this document, Jefferson states 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.” Although many feel this quote is an original thought, it evidentially comes directly from the mind of Locke who believed that men are subject to Natural Law or Divine Providence, which these are the rights given to man by his creator. Concisely, Jefferson was among others who followed Locke’s philosophies, and by these ideals the world will continue to be influenced.
In addition to Jefferson, James Madison, author of the United States First Amendment also revered and followed the teachings of Locke. According to David Richards, author of Toleration and Free Speech, Madison believed “the justification of principles of religious liberty commits us to accept principles of free speech” (331). Richards goes on to say that “Madison’s argument is” an “elaboration of the argument for liberty of conscience as an inalienable human right,” which means that Locke is theoretically the original architect behind the First Amendment’s religious illustration (331). For example, the First Amendment reads that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech…” (“Bill of Rights”). This was attributed to Locke’s letter on toleration, concluding that “no private person has any right in any manner to prejudice another person in his civil [liberties] because he is of another church or religion” (20). Therefore, Locke is the mind behind the theory of free speech and the freedom to exercise religion.
Since Locke’s vision of religion and free speech were adopted by America, the world has followed in its steps. Several countries now have the similar freedoms that Jefferson and Madison concluded were necessary to society. For instance, a majority of the current countries have some form of religious freedom and freedom of speech; this is not a coincidence. England erected free speech and freedom of religion after the success of the First Amendment, which showed how Locke was a man before his time in thought and relevance. In addition, even China, a known Communist and intolerant government gives the people the right to protest, a form freedom of speech. Locke has changed the face of society in that he planted the seed of toleration for other views in the hopes of allowing the individual to choose his or her own path and not the tyranny that possesses them. Thus, the future of Locke’s theories is a great one that will only improve throughout history.
The vision Locke held in regards to religious freedom and free speech did influence his followers as shown by Jefferson and Madison who demonstrated this in their text. Jefferson concluded that Locke was the force behind his mindset in the manner of religious freedom, and that Locke ultimately created the notation of Natural Law, which is one of, if not, the foundations for the Declaration of Independence. In addition to Jefferson, Madison too felt the persuasion of Locke in his policy of religion and free speech, resulting in the development of the First Amendment. Through both Jefferson and Madison, the world now shares certain freedoms which were erected by Locke as theory and put into practice by Jefferson and Madison. Should man be subject to the tyranny of another because they believe differently or because their model of social propriety is new to the realm of norm? Locke proved that the restraint of people does not form an open dialog that inspires achievement, but dooms them to the obstruction of their vises. If man were to follow Locke’s thought, tyranny would be but a memory instead of a reality.
References:
“Bill of Rights Transcript.” National Archives and Records Administration. 26 July 2009.
Brown, Stuart Gerry. “The Mind of Thomas Jefferson.” Ethics 73.2 (1963): 79-99. JSTOR. Lone Star College. 17 July 2009.
Jefferson, Thomas. “NARA The National Archives Experience.” National Archives and Records Administration. 26 July 2009.
Locke, John. A Letter Concerning Toleration. New York: Fq Classics, 2007.
Richards, David. “Philosophy and Public Affairs.” Toleration and Free Speech 17.4 (1988): 323-336. JSTOR. Lone Star College. 17 July 2009.
No comments:
Post a Comment