How did John Locke's beliefs influence American democracy?
1 Answer
Many of John Locke's beliefs were used when creating the Constitution.
Explanation:
As the primary authors of the Constitution of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and John Adams looked borrowed John Locke’s theories of government to start building the new United States of America seeing as the Articles of Confederation didn't work out so well. Locke’s ideas provided for a foundation of a few American beliefs such as the rights to life and liberty. His ideas also led to the formation of much of our government.
Although John Locke preferred the idea of a king as opposed to a president, he articulated the need for an executive branch of government. Above this executive branch, Locke suggested that there would be a legislative branch with power over the executive branch. In Article I and Article II of the United States Constitution, a legislative branch, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, holds certain powers over the executive branch such as impeachment of the president.
Locke believed in a less controlling government. John Locke found it best to grant every individual freedom of religion and speech. Amendment I of the United States Constitution does just that, leaving each person the choice in religion and the freedom to act on that religion as well as the freedom of speech.
Locke’s belief in the rights of the individual to life, liberty, and property is essentially restated in Amendment XIV of the United States Constitution which asserts that the right of any citizen to life, liberty, and property shall not be abridged if the citizen has not broken any laws by abusing those rights or infringing on the rights of others.
