John Locke

John Locke became in his own lifetime one of England's greatest and most famous philosophers, advisor to many important political persons, founder of a long line of British empiricist thinkers and a subtle participator in many of the great political events of his day. Locke's works are still a fascinating subject of debate for philosophical, historical and political scholars across political spectrums. Details of his political activities are documented by the thousands of letters, notes, journals and books of his that were preserved.

Locke was the son of a lawyer who served as an legal clerk to the Justices of the Peace in the county of Somerset. He went to Westminster School, then to Oxford for six years, first as a student but later as a lecturer in Greek and rhetoric. In 1665 he went on a diplomatic mission to Prussia and shortly after his return he met the rich, intelligent and powerful Lord Ashley, whose life Locke proceeded to save by operating on him to cure his Liver condition. As a result of their close friendship, Locke became a member of the Ashley family in London and when Ashley (Then the Earl of Shaftesbury) became Lord Chancellor in 1672, Locke was given various administrative posts and acted as political secretary and tutor to Shaftesbury's son. Shaftesbury lost his position the following year for opposing the King, and in 1675 Locke went to France in an attempt to improve his poor health. He remained there for four years, mixing with many of the followers of Descartes, but then returned to England at Shaftesbury's request.

For the following two years Locke was engaged in political intrigue of the highest order; He worked on Shaftesbury's behalf against the future Catholic King, James II. When these intrigues were discovered, Shaftesbury was arrested, tried and acquited. Fearing further prosecution he fled to The Netherlands, dying there in 1683. Later that year Locked fled to Holland, and went into hiding for a period under a different name as a result of English demands for his extraditation. He used these years to work on his major work; Essay Concerning Human Understanding and to add to the Two Treatises of Government that he begun several years earlier. Shortly after James II was driven from the throne in 1688, Locke returned to London and from 1690 onwards published most of his works on philosophy, education and religion for which he is best remembered. For his last fifteen years he lived a peaceful retirement on the outskirts of London, dying a highly respected man from across Europe.