John Locke’s (1632-1704) Second Treatise of Government was influential in popularizing the then radical Social Contract theory, particularly with the intelligentsia in the American Colonies. Given Jefferson’s high opinion of Locke (one of the three greatest thinkers ever – the others being Bacon and Newton) it is unsurprising that Locke’s ideas found there way in to the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson was not alone since Locke’s thinking on the construction and limits of government found their way into the the U.S. Constitution. What follows is a brief outline suitable for undergraduates of some of Locke’s ideas found in the Second Treatise of Government.

Locke Review