Philosophy

    John Locke  

Slavery and child labour

Locke's views on slavery were multifaceted and complex. Although he wrote against slavery in general in his writing, Locke was an investor and beneficiary of the slave trading Royal Africa Company. In addition, while secretary to the Earl of Shaftesbury, Locke participated in drafting the Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina, which established a quasi-feudal aristocracy and gave Carolinian planters absolute power over their enslaved chattel property; the constitutions pledged that "every freeman of Carolina shall have absolute power and authority over his negro slaves". 

Theories of religious tolerance

1. Earthly judges, the state in particular, and human beings generally, cannot dependably evaluate the truth-claims of competing religious standpoints;
2. Even if they could, enforcing a single 'true religion' would not have the desired effect, because belief cannot be compelled by violence;
3. Coercing religious uniformity would lead to more social disorder than allowing diversity.