Locke, Jefferson, and Everyman

John Locke’s writing was designed to engage rulers of governments such as magistrates, princes, and others adjudicators who act outside and within accordance to the state of nature. In similar fashion, Thomas Jefferson demanded the audience of a ruler, the King of Britain, and its governing Parliaments. Another similarity in both of the writer’s texts refers to individuals outside of the ruling class, to the common man. Jefferson’s label of “all men” is comparable if not inseparable in relation to Locke’s “mankind;” however these labels are not the audience, but whom the audience, those in charge of judgment and government of all men (and women), are to be concerned with. Also, both texts are not intended solely for those who are named explicitly, we can also include peers, scholars, rivals, and even enemies of Locke and Jefferson.

As mentioned earlier, an important difference in the two texts is that Jefferson refers to a specific ruler, the King of Great Britain. Locke’s audience of would-be and current governors is a more broad and generalized audience. Jefferson’s enclosed focus is not limited only to governors, but of states as well, as the thirteen colonies are the primary subject. Locke cites many nations including England, France, and Holland, as well as Americans, Indians and the Swiss in his text, which in theory, leaves much more potential for an extensive consideration of the masses.