Why were Locke's ideas about government considered radical for his time?

Answer 1

The following clip from a philosophy encyclopedia nicely summarizes the ROOT of Locke's "radical" ideas --

"Locke proposed a RADICAL conception of political philosophy
** deduced from the principle of SELF-OWNERSHIP and the corollary right to own property, which in turn is based on his famous claim that a man earns ownership over a resource when he mixes his labour with it.
** GOVERNMENT, he argued, should be LIMITED TO SECURING THE LIFE AND PROPERTY OF ITS CITIZENS, and is only necessary because in an ideal, anarchic state of nature, various problems arise that would make life more insecure than under the protection of a minimal state.
** Locke is also renown for his writings on toleration in which he espoused the RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE AND RELIGION"
http://www.iep.utm.edu/l/locke-po.htm

It is also true that Locke argued from the concepts of ownership & property, and the conception of the role of goverment mentioned above, that there was a "right to revolution". This particular piece has gained significant attention, esp. as it was used as part of the justification of those who waged the American and French Revolutions.

But what is often NOT remembered (if known) is that this argument was Locke's AFTER-the-fact justification for the English GLORIOUS Revolution of 1689 (in which James II was deposed by Parliament, and replaced by William and Mary). Clearly Parliament's actions were NOT a response to Locke's ideas! In other words, the ACTIVE political radicalism of OTHERS preceded Locke's making of this 'radical' argument.

(On the other hand, he had developed much of his thinking on these matters BEFORE the Glorious Revolution, during the 1680s efforts to remove Charles II.)

For a useful summary of Locke's political philosophy, see:
http://www.philosophypages.com/hy/4n.htm

Answer 2

his idea of th right to revolution and overthrow king if it is the people's will. This in a time when most nations lived under a monarch or some other dictator.

Answer 3

He became into no longer an intensive, yet his ideals and writings have been new as to the organic rights of guy. a lot of his suggestions have been utilized by using Jefferson in his writing of the announcement of Independence.