Liberalism and colonialism in the work of John Locke
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.1517-0128.v44i2p191-211Keywords:
Liberalism, Property, Colonialism, Locke, EnglandAbstract
One of the central elements of the emergence of modernity is related to the process of formation of modern nation-states and this process, with its political and social consequences, has been one of the central elements of theoretical reflection by the fundamental authors of modern political thought. However, the emergence and expansion of colonialism also had a fundamental importance in the development of modern theoretical ideas and concepts. As part of the reinterpretation of the canon of this thought, carried out by recent research, an important debate has emerged about the relationship between liberalism and colonialism. Liberalism has been associated with the language of natural rights and the limits of power. However, current research has problematized the link between liberalism and colonial expansion. Recent works have highlighted that some characteristics, such as abstract universalism or a vision about the foundation of property rights, would allow understanding their link with colonial or imperial domination. The present work seeks, from this perspective, to analyze and problematize John Locke's writings as a work in which the colonial experience had a fundamental influence on the elaboration of some of his main theoretical formulations.
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