Locke’s Legacy: How His Ideas on Rights, Government, and Property Shape Today’s Politics

Abstract

John Locke (1632–1704) helped develop democracy. Locke's political ideology was based on natural rights, the social contract, and property. This study examines how Locke's concepts on rights, governance, and property have influenced political philosophy. We examine how these theories affect constitutional frameworks, economic systems, and public-private interactions in our study. This study examines Lockean ideas and government using various research methods. This method includes interviewing subject matter experts, researching constitutional documents, and reviewing case studies. The research found that Locke's trinity of life, liberty, and property underpins judicial interpretations, civic rights discourse, and policy discussions in democracies worldwide, particularly in the US, UK, and India. This is especially true in America. Locke initially proposed his notion in the seventeenth century. The Lockean labor theory of property affects environmental law, intellectual property rights, and land reform. These debates concern property rights. Informed consent, anonymous interviews, and institutional inspections can satisfy ethical requirements. The empirical data on Locke's relevance contributes to political philosophy and public policy studies in this multidisciplinary study. Due to their affiliations, the University of Lahore and the University of the Punjab are involved in this research, which draws from several academic departments.