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Description
The Enlightenment era in the West is traditionally referred to as the “Age of Reason” and the cradle of liberalism, which has been perhaps the dominant political ideology in the West since the eighteenth century. Philosophers such as John Locke and John Stuart Mill are credited with developing liberalism and their theories continue to be studied in terms of liberty, the social contract theory, and empiricism. While liberalism is heralded as a societal advancement in the field of philosophy, some thinkers’ actions were not consistent with their written principles. This essay investigates how John Locke was involved in the creation and perpetuation of slavery in North America, but later crafted and endorsed more liberal ideologies in his writings. This dual nature of Locke has a prominent place in academia and scholarly research. Many try to address the contradictory nature of Locke by looking to the location he had in mind when crafting his philosophies, specifically those concerning the state of nature, slavery, property rights, and empiricism. While some concepts, like slavery, seem to find him contemplating only English citizens, Locke’s reference to Indigenous Americans in his philosophical works supports the argument that the philosopher’s ideology was not necessarily written exclusively for English application. By analyzing Locke’s philosophy and his economic involvement in the Carolina colony through a postcolonial theoretical framework, this essay aims to understand the Eurocentrism of Locke and how his philosophy was applied differently across borders. Using postcolonial theory, this thesis concludes Locke was a colonialist and Western author who portrayed non-European cultures, practices, and experiences for European consumption and application.
ContributorsCundiff, Caroline Rose (Author) / O'Donnell, Catherine (Thesis advisor) / Wright, Johnson (Committee member) / Barth, Jonathan (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
The Founders of the United States prioritized individualism and natural rights, yet they also enshrined religious morality and deemed it to be essential for the maintenance of a liberal nation. Scholars have offered many explanations for this dichotomous relationship and numerous variables have been credited with being the most significant in shaping the Founding, including the lack of a feudal tradition and the influence of John Locke. I will argue that Christianity influenced the Founders and their formulation of American liberalism as advanced by Locke, resulting in a liberal democracy guided by Christian morality. First, I will examine several religious experiences that occurred within the colonies prior to the Founding, starting with an analysis of the Puritans and their communities. I will also discuss the persecution of the Quakers and the role that it played in shaping the colonial religious landscape. I will similarly use the revivals of the Great Awakening to explain both the religious landscape that influenced the Founders and the acceptance of Christian morality by colonial society at large. I will then look at the period of the Founding, introducing Deism and showing that its endorsement by some of the Founders did not detract from the unique Christian morality that guided early America. I will closely examine the work of John Locke and his philosophy of natural rights and liberalism in relation to the contemporaneous Christian morality that was dominant within the colonies. Finally, the various channels through which Christianity influenced the Founders will be summarized and an alternative thesis advanced by various scholars will be presented.
ContributorsAyala, Michael (Author) / Perez, Luke (Thesis director) / German, Zachary (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor)
Created2024-05