Political thought and action of John Locke: from conformity to revolution

Locke's political thought should be analyzed in connection with his participation in the politics of the reign of Charles II. The gradual ideological shift reflected in his writings, since 1667, is associated with the aims and the political strategy of the first Whigs. He wrote the Second Essay, Concerning Civil Government in the context of the constitutional crisis of the end of that reign. That work (with his theory regarding consent, the commonwealth and the dissolution of government) may be related to the revolutionary strategy embraced by some of the Whig leaders, whose failure led Locke to exile. Nevertheless, his ideas concerning legitimacy by consent finally succeeded with the Revolution of 1688 (though he did not play an active part in this event). His main works, published after the Revolution, were also a source of inspiration for the enlightened thinkers and subsequent revolutionary movements.