Locke (John Locke)

John Locke was a 17th-century philosopher who believed that people are born without innate ideas and that knowledge comes from experience and observation. He argued that individuals have natural rights to life, liberty, and property, which governments should protect. Locke emphasized that government legitimacy depends on the consent of the governed and that people have the right to overthrow governments that violate their rights. His ideas greatly influenced the development of democracy and modern political thought, highlighting individual freedom, the importance of reason, and the value of a government that serves its citizens.