John+Locke,+Second+Treatise

John Locke was a British philosopher who lived from 1632 to 1704 during which enlightenment philosophy spread through Europe. In his work, Two Treatises on Government, he wrote about the natural rights of all men and his philosophy influenced the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. In his work, Locke believed strongly in the separation of Church and State, and that men were naturally selfish. His philosophies influenced Voltairé.
 * Men are naturally free, equal, and independent
 * Man has the right to property
 * No man should be subjected to the political power without his own consent
 * A man has to give his consent to the government to be incorporated into the body of law ("consent of the governed")
 * A man gives up his own freewill and agrees to abide by majority rule
 * Political society is made up of the consent of men who make the majority ("consent of the governed")

“The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. For in all the states of created beings capable of law, where there is no law, there is no freedom.” --John Locke