Dr. Martin Luther King Draws

Dr. Martin Luther King draws directly on both Locke and Jefferson in his perception of the role of government in human affairs. Moreover, King echoes Locke and Jefferson's notions of perfect equality. In Chapter 2, Second 4 of Locke's Second Treatise, the author states, "To understand political power right, and derive it from its original, we must consider, what state all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom," as well as absolute equality. Locke also claimed that equality is the natural state of human beings, "evident in itself, and beyond all question," (Chapter 2, Second 5). Clearly Jefferson invokes Locke in the Declaration of Independence, in the opening statements, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Neither Locke nor Jefferson gave serious thought to either race or gender. Both Locke and Jefferson imply that unalienable rights are mainly to be enjoyed by men. Most likely, both Locke and Jefferson would have been able to compromise the integrity of their beliefs by denying people of color as well as women the self-same liberties. What King does in the 20th century is to build and expand on Locke and Jefferson's foundation. Locke and Jefferson laid the ground rules for a more egalitarian, libertarian society. That society became a marked improvement from the more tyrannical, authoritarian, and aristocratic regimes of the past. However, great strides still needed to be made before all human beings would truly become equal under the eyes of the law. African-Americans and finally women received those inalienable rights centuries after Jefferson's Declaration of Independence.

King does draw directly from Locke and Jefferson in his approach to civil disobedience. For example, Locke mentions "being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions," (Chapter 2, section 6). King did not stray from the moral imperative of ahimsa, doing no harm.

Moreover, King knew that his civil rights campaign was grounded in the same philosophies that kick-started the union. Locke noted, "All men may be restrained from invading others rights, and from doing hurt to one another,' (Chapter 2, section 7). So long as no harm is done, each individual has the right to act as he or she pleases. King was trying to point out that "all men may be restrained from" harming African-Americans. Discrimination had become part of the American experience. Depriving African-Americans of their rights to vote, to have access to social, political, and economic resources: these are acts that are directly harming human beings. Alluding to the Declaration of Independence, King echoed the passage, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."