John Locke's Theory of Natural Law

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This paper looks at this philosophy whereby Locke's perception of mankind was an extremely optimistic one, and he viewed natural law and the state of nature as being where all men are naturally moral and reasonable, and are born free, equal and possessing the inalienable rights to protect their life, their freedom, and their property.

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""Nature is a state of perfect equality amongst all men. In this state, no one man has more power or jurisdiction than any other man." (Locke 1690)
John Locke (1632 - 1704) was a qualified physician and a respected Oxford academic, in addition to being one of several political philosophers who focused on the theories of natural rights and natural law during the pre-Enlightenment era of the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Locke's theory of natural law, and of the aims and purposes of government, were detailed in his work, "Two Treatises of Government" (1690), and proved to be influential, not only in Britain, but across the world, especially in America, where his views formed the foundation of the Declaration of Independence and the American system of government."

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