The Analysis Of Locke’s Political Philosophy

John Locke is one of the important philosophers that helped to found the western system of Political Philosophy. His political philosophy has profound impacts on the history of western political philosophy,the political civilization and the practice of politics.In against of the Divine Right of Kings theory, Locke offered the Social Contract theory.In this theory, Locke argued that before entering the political society, mankind had lived under the natural status of equality and everyone was entitled to three natural rights: the right of survival, the right of freedom and the right of property. Among these three rights,Locke stressed on the right of property the most. However, the human society experienced severe polarization due to the increase of inequality(in the society) and the creation of monetary system, accelerating the confrontation and struggles between different social classes. In order to prevent the violation of private propriety rights by the power of royalty, Locke asserted to establish a government based on checks and balances through constitutional monarchy that put Kings under the law.To certain extent, Locke’s political philosophy has been proven by the Revolution of Glory in 1688. The Revolution of Glory, which represented the interest of the newly-emerged bourgeoisie class(in the UK), established the parliamentary control over the power of royalty,as well as the ruling role of bourgeoisie class over the political and economic lives of proletariat class. His political philosophy has offered a full-scale evaluation of this newly-founded regime from these two aspects. Locke’s theory also assured bourgeois’ infinite right in pursuing the maximum of their property, as the result, his philosophy has laid the foundation of the market economics and legal institutions of modem capitalist society. It is no doubt that Locke’s theory has its historical and societal-class limits, however, his political philosophy still have certain influence and inspiration on the construction of political civilization.