Considered the father of [[Liberalism]], John Locke shaped core ideas of individual rights, private property, and [[Government]] by consent that underpin much of modern political thought. He argued for religious tolerance and limits on sovereign power, framing liberty as a natural condition. Yet his legacy is deeply contradictory: while championing [[Freedom]], he invested in the slave trade and justified colonial expropriation, showing how Enlightenment ideals were entangled with [[Empires]] and inequality. ![[JohnLocke.jpeg]] `Concepts:` `Knowledge Base:`