If We Lose John Locke, We Lose America | 5 Minute Video
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 ม.ค. 2025
- Most of us learned the key ideas of the Declaration of Independence in school: that "all men are created equal," "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights," that government's job is "to secure these rights." This was a radical departure from the way things had always been. Where did these revolutionary ideas come from? Ben Shapiro explains in this illuminating video.
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Script:
When John Adams and Benjamin Franklin read Thomas Jefferson’s draft of the Declaration of Independence, they undoubtedly recognized two things: Jefferson’s peerless prose, and the political wisdom of the 17th-century English thinker, John Locke.
We still admire Jefferson’s skill as a writer. But we have lost an appreciation for Jefferson’s philosophical mentor.
John Locke was born in 1632 in a small village in Somerset, England. He studied at Oxford to be a physician but achieved fame as a political theorist.
In 1690, he authored one of the most famous political tracts in history, Two Treatises of Government. England had just gone through a period of great political turmoil, the so-called “Glorious Revolution” of 1688 in which the Catholic king, James II, was overthrown and replaced by a Protestant one, William of Orange.
The purpose of that revolution, which Locke supported, was not merely to substitute one king for another, but to move power away from the monarch and place it in the hands of the people and their elected representatives. The “laws and liberties of this kingdom,” in Locke’s view, belonged to its citizens.
This was, of course, how the American rebels saw their relationship with England. The Americans had no say in laws that the English crown and parliament were forcing on them. And-to put it mildly-they didn’t like it. “No taxation without representation” was a classic expression of their displeasure.
But how to frame the argument so that the whole world would understand it? Jefferson looked to Locke for inspiration and guidance.
And using Locke helped in another way: How better, Jefferson calculated, to justify an American revolution than to use the arguments that were once used to justify an English one?
So what were those arguments? Locke posited three.
First: All men are created equal. Second: Certain basic rights exist independent of government. Third: Government exists to protect those rights.
Let’s take them in turn.
Number one: All men are created equal.
Locke starts this argument at a very basic level-namely, that human beings were created equal by God. We’re all part of the same species. We’re all capable of doing human things. In that sense, we are equal-not in qualities or outcome, but in rights. As John Locke wrote, “Creatures of the same species...born to all the same advantages of nature, and the use of the same faculties, should also be equal...without subordination or subjection.”
In this way, a king is in no way superior to a commoner such that he might violate the commoner’s rights. The king is a human being. The commoner is a human being. Each can reason. Therefore, one is equal to the other. We take this for granted now, but in 1690 it was a radical notion.
Number two: Certain basic rights exist independent of government.
Locke believed that it was man’s natural state to be free. Therefore, freedom pre-exists government. That is, freedom came first; government came later. One hears this thinking expressed in Jefferson’s famous phrase, “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…”
Here’s how Locke put it: “The natural [state] of man is to be free from any superior power on earth. And not to be under the will or legislative authority [of a government] …”
As rational human beings, Locke contended, we have the liberty-whether king or commoner- to think and act as we wish so long as we harm no one else.
Number three: Government exists to protect those rights.
For the complete script, visit www.prageru.co...
"Don't tell me what I can't do."
-John Locke
"Right and conveniency went together; for as a man had a right to all he could employ his labour upon, so he had no temptation to labour for more than he could make use of. This left no room for controversy about the title, nor for encroachment on the right of others; what portion a man carved to himself, was easily seen; and it was useless, as well as dishonest, to carve himself too much, or take more than he needed."
-John Locke
In other words, don't take more than you need.
You 'Lost' me there
Haha miss that show
You have no idea how high I can fly
- M.G. Scott
WE HAVE TO GO BACK !!!!!!
*Classical Liberalism:* More speech! More debates! No ideology! Free market of ideas!
*Today's "Liberals":* Cancel culture. Less debates. Intersectionality. Feelings over truth.
"No ideology"
Ah, yes. As we all know, it is possible to have no political ideology. People are not shaped by their enviornment.
Liberalism of all types has failed. The ideology is wrong. Democracy has failed. Only reactionary policies will save the West. We can start by no longer listing to fake right boomer conservatives.
We have commenters here who haven't the first clue what Lockian principles are, who J.S. Mill was, or what liberalism actual is.
They’re not Liberals, they’re Marxists. *Postmodern Neomarxist Progressive Leftists.*
Don’t call Marxists “Liberals” when they’re not Liberals-they’re the exact opposite of what a Liberal is, and what Liberalism means. *We* are the Liberals. We are the ones that advocate for Liberty and against Collectivism and Tyranny.
Redstone Fish Liberals don’t focus on mass shootings. Leftists do, however.
So, you mean ****Leftists.* Ok well if you mean Leftists then say Leftists. Don’t say Liberal when you mean _Illiberal_ Leftists.
"Facts are stubborn things" -John Adams
That's why those on the Left get angered by them.
great quote, but i think this video is more about values than it is about facts
Ben is absolutely correct and his presentation of John Locke's ideology was spot on. This was great!!!!!
@Full Natty Bro You Lefties just love to troll and spew nonsense huh?
@Full Natty Bro Yes, they do work well, if they are put in practice. When you create privileges (befenits some enjoy while all pay) for some groups, there will never will be equality and union in the society. The people who want to put black people, gay people, etc. a step above the rest in one situation or another are the people causing society to be divided. Only if all are equal under the law can all be truly equal. Same rights, same duties, same opportunities.
@Full Natty Bro Karl Marx believed that a dictatorship of the Proletariat would result in equal distribution of food, land and industrial production, and that the Dictators would gladly give up power once the Utopia was achieved. That 19th century garbage never worked, did it? Of Course Che Guevara believed black people were too backward and homosexuals were too perverted to run a Marxist State. No doubt you love your Viva Che T-Shirt? You should see what Stalin said about Marxism and plant genetics with his friend Lysenko. 5 years of crop failure can't be wrong. It's science. As opposed to the political philosophy that created the strongest, freest, wealthiest and most powerful nation the world has ever known.
This was barely Locke's idealology, and more Shapiro's with a few quotes from Locke added a specific spots to sound like agreement...
@@justinkomb5476 Name calling is a poor argument. See Matthew's rebuttal below yours for a more productive way to have a discussion.
I've been saying this for years. Our founding fathers were very smart and they saw all of this coming. Just read some of Jefferson's letters and you see what I mean. We as a people need to know our nation's history or we were lose our nation.
yes, that's why certain groups are attempting to destroy our history
Drinker_Of_ Milk Sorry your country is so trash you have to fight ours
Drinker_of_soy_milk
You are correct. Your life, your failures, your inability to live your idealistic ideals is all the result of centuries of conspiracy against you. Free Masons, Vanderburgs, Rothschilds, and others are all there to make certain that you never advance and that everything will never be the way you want it to be rather than hand you everything you think you deserve just because you are you.
Drinker_of_soy_milk
Typical. Make accusations without proof to justify your conspiracies and then insult those who call you on it.
Were the Masons a secrete society? Sort of. Thousand of years ago when powerful rulers were commissioning monuments, usually made of some sort of stone, perfection was expected and failures were punished and usually the punishments were painful and drawn out for as long as possible. A master mason who had spend decades learning all the skills necessary to build large structures was usually commissioned to supervise the project and was responsible for hiring other masons to do the work from the simplest to the most complex. Much like a general contractor does today. That necessitated a means of identifying those who were trained and their level of training from the average Joe Blow off the streets; which meant master masons needed a way to identify actual masons from all others; hence the secrecy.
Since their life often depended on the quality of the work, Masons needed a way to identify those who actually had the training necessary to do the required work and at the skill level necessary. This also meant that Masons by necessity needed to be highly educated; so education was always a requirement to be a Mason at any level which also meant they were far more educated than the general population that they lived among, whether working on a project big or small or none at all. And as history has proven, those who are educated, in intellectual knowledge or complex skilled professions, always do better than those who are ignorant. And the ignorant invariably, rather than put out the effort necessary to get an education themselves, resent and make accusations against those who are educated.
Hence your accusations that free masons are satanist who conspire against society for power and control and your professed hatred and resentment against them. Simply because they are smarter and harder working than yourself.
They didn’t truly predict it, tyranny’s been predicted by philosophers that very much predate them. Like Socrates in Platos Republic, which I heard the founding fathers took inspiration from.
Probably one of the best PragerU lessons available. Thanks to all involved.
Go Tigers. Clemson University, class of 2009. Saw your paw.
@@ab5olut3zero95 Yes indeed, Go Tigers! Not an alum, born there. And my college had no football program at all.
@faultroy So, pot for brains faultroy, tell me do you consider yourself inherently of a lower class than others? Locke; All men are created equal.
Progressive kool aid drinker faultroy, the government has passed no law giving you the right to urinate. You therefor must stop drinking liquids or burst, be sure that you super glue your drain so you don't break a law. Locke; Certain basic rights exist independent of government.
CCP sock puppet faultroy, this last point will make no sense to you because you do not believe in individual rights apart from your benevolent overlords. Locke; Government exists to protect those rights.
@faultroy Instead of insulting and calling everyone ignorant, please succinctly explain how Shapiro is incorrect here?
A blanket statement isn't going to cut it. Please explain.
@faultroy Thanks for explaining.
We know many men who were drafted into Vietnam. Most of them are Right leaning Libertarians. (some of them are outright mental patients for life and not fit for society, alot are dying off) We will suppose that you live in the community and are not trusting of a large government, and that you try to live your life how YOU see fit.
So Let's sum up what you wrote here.....
"Because people didn't follow what they wrote (because they are hypocrites) this is the dumbest Prager U video".
We noticed that you employed the serpent's method -- you decided to let us in on a little secret [that you know] of the hidden motivations of others. And this is where the Devil is revealed.
The men wrote and said the words - so it is not correct to say that the information is false. They may not have followed what they wrote [in your opinion].... But listen... those of us on the Right WANT THOSE PRINCIPLES TO BE PRACTICED.
It's easy to just be disgusted and claim everything is wrong because some didn't practice what they preached, but let's imagine if we trash the words "all men are created equal". How great would our country be then? Wanna go back to 1720 where all men are not equal under the law?
Let's continue the fallacy of your argument... Let's trash MLK Jr's line "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Yes. Let's just throw that away like you so casually wish to throw away the founding documents. How great would our country be?
At any rate, what we are saying is that we on the Right love the constitution and we want all men to be created equal and be equal because we just simply are. We couldn't imagine convenient excuses of "Well they didn't practice what they preached so we are going to throw all of it away". The alternative (Democrats) were ALWAYS against all men being created equal, and their party still supports that notion.
If you cared about reading, we might suggest you read the Federalist Papers. It has a wonderful line that helps explain exactly what you are having difficulty with.... "But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions."
You can't trust people to just be good people. You can't trust people who get into govt to have power and not abuse it. But what is the alternative? We on the Right propose a smaller government in line with the constitution. We think the government is too big, in our face, in almost every facet of our life - we don't like it. But Democrats ALWAYS want a larger government that controls everything about you.
We think you actually AGREE with us on the Right about having a smaller govt and freedoms!
"... as long as we hurt no-one else." And that's where things go wrong today. Everyone can now claim to be harmed by simple speech and opinions that do not match their own. To those we should say "Grow a spine".
I agrre, that's because they are being taught that in academia. Perceived harm and real harm are not the same thing, one has to do with feelings that change from one day to the next and the other is based in reality
@Robert Ramsey exactly
A spine and a brain.
What should be said is that as long as no one else’s rights are violated.
Big facts
"Nature has a law of nature to govern it, and reason is that law"
- John Locke
@ Not a problem, unless diversity is used as a pretext to violate the Natural Law, which currently it is.
@@theghostofpatrickhenry4516 natural law is: if no children, no future.
@ That's a good joke. What makes White Christians different than anybody else? Nothing. They simply believe in God and their skin color is white. Neither of those things fundamentally change them. So the reason these modern political concepts showed up in the west is because their culture was ready for it.
@ I don't see what's so funny. I said that Christianity and being white didn't do the trick. It was the culture. It had little to do with Christianity, and nothing to do with being white.
@Sturm Vogel. This is why you need an education immersed in truth. Historically, White Europe fought Islamic Turks and have lost Greece, the Balkans, you name it. They also fought North Africa Berbers and lost the Iberian peninsula which is now Portugal, Spain, and parts of France. White Europeans fought one another, bitterly, and let them to their demise to be conquered by Muslims. This bit of history is both older and more recent than John Locke’s entire life. If you go further East Asian nomads, although very mixed in race as they came West conquered and ravaged White Europe for centuries. During WWI, which is a war in the 20th century, the English called the Germans as Huns, a synonym to Asian or Turk. You see, people like Jefferson, and John Locke knew their history, unlike you. And although they may have not been thinking of and dreaming of black Africans, they certainly didn’t mean only White Christian men. The point was as long as one accepted the Abrahamic God or The One Creator God as God, this natural law should be upheld. And almost everyone accepted God from West & East Europe, North Africa, and the Near East, which were areas where most of European history took place. So TLDR, he didn’t mean all White Christian men. He just meant all men.
The Achilles heel of Democracy: “A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the majority discovers it can vote itself largess out of the public treasury”, Tytler 1787.
1787, and we're still here.
@@FultonEagle1948 But for how much longer??
@@nathanfong6498 As long as we the True Patriots Stand & Deliver, & Don't think we wont.
@@FultonEagle1948 "You can't have a first world Country with a third world population"...unknown
@@gerardo2360 I don't understand that comment? Please clarify?
When I was in college taking an American History course, my teacher said thr the English Civil War and the ideas supporting it were very important when it came to understanding the ideas of the founding fathers and their grievances with the English Crown and its government. We need to have kids in our school system to know about John Locke and the revolutionary predecessors that influenced our nation’s genesis.
Yes, but first we gotta run off the demo shool boards, & commie teachers associations that got us in this mess.
Yes, rather than the cartoonish fantasy of American colonists as being cruelly oppressed native victims of foreign tyrants.
@@FultonEagle1948 Yes, but first we gotta have children and parents that live.
When the President of the United States (in spite, his own medical advisers "shelter in place" warnings) insists that all children return to attend school full time and in person, under the threat of cutting federal funds, **American children die.**
@@sfomikedean1 You seem to lack all understanding of Covid and your logic is pure nonsense.
First, Covid is less deadly to children than the flu so if you are okay with schools being open during flu season, then you should be okay with them being open now.
Second, your logic that Trump is causing people to die is incredibly stupid. By your logic, if politicians don't ban all cars, they are causing people to die. Some people die from car accidents, therefore, we should completely get rid of them to save lives.
@@bigyin2586 The President's demand that children return to school full time and in person will result in **The Death of American children**. Do you think those children, dead to due to malfeasance, are victims? If we don't even talk about these impending bodies we'll be dragging across the floor... I'm sorry, words get the best of me.
More than 300 years history of the America,
So wonderful that make America unique and greatest country,
Seem like they don't teach it in public school anymore !
You want to see what they teach in schools?? Watch this short video
th-cam.com/video/ti9fIEst8Ps/w-d-xo.html
Teachers are literally brainwashing your children to hate this country and white people or themselves (if they’re white)
Locke puts the entire society in chains to foreigners
Truth is Treason, I’m a public school history teacher. I DO NOT teach like the people in the video. It’s largely due to where the said school is, and what the political climate is in the area.
Honestly, don’t always blame the teachers- blame the moron politicians and curriculum directors of each state. If people are loud enough, and CARE enough, they’ll change. But it take people to do something.
School is no longer about passing knowledge and reasoning down to the next generation. It’s about teaching for tests. It’s a HUGE money maker (billions every year), and many politicians and lobbyists are making bundles off of it.
M R I understand, I don’t blame or think every teacher teaches this way but the system has to change
As a strong advocate for the views of John Locke (even if no one around me cares), I have a feeling I will love this video.
the script is in the description
Mr. Cooper, many around you care. The Patriots are with you, Sir.
Zackery Cooper said, "I have a feeling I will love this video". Michael Dean asks, "Did you ever care enough to actually view this video?"
I am Brazilian, and I LOVE American history, I feel a pain from the bottom of my heart when I see so many young Americans not giving due importance to FREEDOM, they ask for so much help from the State, but they forget (or pretend not to know) that it is just a state that destroys wealth, all over latin america we have states that oppress citizens, do not give freedom, and the state needs to be controlled, and NEVER THE INDIVIDUAL. A nation can only prosper with INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM, I tried my visa to visit America but it was denied, so I am a person who is completely in love with American history, I am young, I am 23 years old and I am sure that one day I will be able to visit this wonderful country , which is the concrete proof that FREEDOM IS THE INGREDIENT OF A NATION'S SUCCESS!
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
All od our ideas came from England
Great job Ben! Thank you!
In truth, we are NOT a Democracy but a Constitutional Republic founded on the principles of Natural Law Nomocracy, as per John Locke and the Haudenosaunee (the 4th longest standing civilization in history, a Nation that stands to this day, even surviving an apocalypse, brought down by our own hypocritical hand.)
•HR 331 100th Congress 2nd session 1988
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb deciding what to have for dinner."
-Benjamin Franklin
I'm a REAL Liberal "Classical" sic and I have found myself having to side with the Conservative, for the most part, all of my life. It is well beyond the time when us Real Liberals need to stand up and be counted.
The assault on this Nation by the Democratic Party and the Progressive Left is unprecedented; as a True Liberal, I am Proud to stand with my brother and sister Americans, rather Conservative, Libratarian or Republican; The only positive thing the Democrats and Leftists have done is to bring us all into solidarity, for once.🙄
In the Heart of True American Liberalism rests Franklinian Politics; in contrast to the Jeffersonian school followed by Libertarians: Franklinism, like the Native Americans who inspired it, has been swept under the rug; as too as the concept of Philosophical Dialogue, of the Greek, been forgotten; these things have become arcane, at great loss.
If it is that we are to save this nation then we need to return to our foundations and correct them through Franklinian Politics; whose manner in Congress so strongly echoed the council fires of the Haudenosaunee, and Greek philosophers, who so inspired him.
•Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America 1784 by Benjamin Franklin
"I have gained this by philosophy; that I do without having to be commanded what others do only from fear of the law."
- Aristotle
When we adopted the Iroquois system of government, we took the car but left the motor needed to make it run. That is why Benjamin Franklin was so disappointed at the end of the Constitutional Convention; and when asked what kind of government we had created he said "A republic ma'am, if you can keep it."
That motor can be most easily described as the study of philosophy and the practice philosophical dialogue, as opposed to the antiquated and barbaric practice of debate.
I was never fool enough to follow the left: Neither have I ever been fool enough to vote Democrat. I walked away the first time they opened their mouth.
#liberals4trump
#Natives4Trump
#WalkAway
Thanks Ben and Dennis.
Isn’t John Locke the enlightenment thinker that said “Life, Liberty, and Property”
He could say such things He was the father of liberalism, cultural toleration and education after all...
Wasn't Thomas jefferson?
J/A/S Thomas No, Thomas Jefferson said “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”.
Thomas Jefferson was _inspired_ by John Locke, who is the Father of Liberalism and the West.
@@JesusFriedChrist Thomas Jefferson originally wrote, "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of property.". However, coming from England many if not most of the founding fathers could not imagine how large was the Continent. Ben Franklin persuaded Jefferson to rewrite that passage.
We are paying for that to this day by having forfeiture laws legal in the country.
Jefferson should have kept "Property"
Taxation is Theft
He is so right. If we lose those ideals, we lose everything. Sadly, many people seem to be happy to give up all their rights. Doesn't make sense that people would like to be controlled!
Look up the slippery slope fallacy. That's exactly what you are doing right now.
All men are created equal, You know the thing.....
- Joe Bidden 2020
One second in... Definitely Ben Shapiro's voice 😂
But seriously though, I didn't realize that the way I think about government is almost solely based on John Lock
@In truth we trust Yeah i respect his views, but his voice turns ALOT of people off, including myself
Easily the best PragueU video. The use of step by step logic mirrors that of the Declaration itself. Great Job, Ben!
I've heard a lot of people look at the first part and laugh, "if all men are created equal, then why do they have slaves??"
Think about this, in less than 100 years after the Declaration of Independence was made and signed, America had a massive war to end slavery.
When they made that declaration, they did it with the intent to end slavery, but they were smart enough to know it probably wouldn't happen in their life time.
People today take for granted how difficult that transition was. They grew up in the modern world and think it should have been no problem for our ancestors to make the leap to what is today considered a moral no-brainer. Yet they forget, slavery STILL exists in the world today. Why not go after that, rather than those who laid the framework to end slavery here? Probably because that would require too much thinking and effort. It's easier to criticize the historical injustices of your own society than the current injustices of other societies. It requires no actual effort.
Slavery was pushed on the Portuguese explorers, and later others, by western African tribes that had attacked another tribe and pillaged, raped, murdered & captured the other tribe's people. The Portuguese were low on food and water and stopped to trade & resupply, the last thing they needed was 400 plus more mouths to feed...
When the ships arrived back at Portugal, with the 200 Africans that survived the long trip, the king was irate and ordered the whole crew arrested...
His-story gets the "truths" twisted ask the time by evil or misguided people.
BTW the American Civil War had little to do with freeing the slaves, lots of that was already happening, but it was an good cover for the carnage the North brought onto the Southern some of which were leaving the Union. This begin when South Carolina walked out of CONgress - the main issue was private property rights...
@Matthew Jones
Do you realize that the very FIRST slave owner in America was a black man? Slavery was and STILL is rampant in Africa. America is by no means perfect, but at least the most brutal war in our history was to end slavery, and that objective was achieved. How many people died to achieve that? MANY. Many of the Founders were against slavery, but they couldn't force the issue under their circumstances without losing everything. They had to make hard choices, so they did what they could at the time. Even so, the question of slavery came up again and again, until ultimately a massive war was fought to resolve it once and for all. As I said though, it's easy to criticize our ancestors without having walked even a single step in their shoes. "They were just racist!", completely ignores the ideological leap they were making and had to convince an entire country to make as well. Suddenly changing ones world view is by no means an easy or comfortable thing to do. They deserve credit for at least moving in the right direction.
@@vitalrights7390 Careful with 'lost cause' revisionism...It IS true slavery was a dying institution as was the southern cotton and tobacco industry (thanks to India) however the prime reason most States give explicitly was maintaining Slavery as an institution. Many States outright put it up front in their secession declarations and new State constitutions.
@@vitalrights7390
Slavery wasn't the only issue, but it was front and center. "Private property Rights", indeed. They did have some valid points about States Rights vs Federal overreach, but the issue of Slavery defanged and declawed that argument in that instance.
That was Lock's quote? I always thought it was, "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men... you...you...you... know the thing!...
That was Jefferson in the Declaration. Not Locke. Locke informed Jefferson. But Jefferson wrote "We hold these truths to be self-evident..."
lol... Biden is that you?
Who here first heard of John Locke from the character named for him on the show Lost, where many of the characters were named after philosophers or historical figures relating to the theme of the story?
I was only a kid and I hadn't really been introduced to John Locke, but I was homeschooled so I knew the name.... I always thought it was funny the same name as a guy from my history books, but at the time I thought it was coincidence. But you just made me look up the connection to other names and OH MY GOSH HOW DID I NOT CATCH THIS??? BRUH.
WOO! Ben, we love you! Go Ben go! Run for 2024 after Trump!
The Natural Law, enemy of tyrants everywhere.
PragerU : I've never heard of John Locke 'till Now. thanks
Watch lost, it’s a good non fiction television based on him
If you were educated in the US public schools and universities you never would hear about him. He is a threat to their philosophy.
Read Thomas Paine next
I am older man and this hurts to hear. Locke was like at least 4 years of elementary school for me.
@@hmmm3232 I too am older (64 ) Never heard of him. Know of Paine, but not from school, just heard of him.
I was also in the 70's "selective English courses" , that is I chose what to learn for English class in HS. I did not learn better writing , 'till Eng 101 in college
Best explanation of John Locke I’ve seen yet. Bravo!
2:99 right quote is: we hold these truths to be self evident that all men and women are created equal by...... Go.... You know... You know the thing
“The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.”
Thomas Jefferson
In other words, sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt
My thoughts exactly. Classical liberalism is fine in principle but rather naive in practice.
Not that I don't believe you, but you should always note the source of a quote so that others can easily verify it.
@Drinker_of_Milk Your analogy of Classical liberalism is incorrect. Classical Liberalism is simply the belief that you treat others as you wish to be treated and intervene only when causing physical harm upon others. This allows for less societal friction and proceeds to eliminate false monopolies of control within society. We can have differing opinions and beliefs, it is only when you try to apply your beliefs, and their consequences, upon another individual that problems arise.
@Drinker_Of_ Milk "You need a strong State to enforce it. To make sure people/corporations actually help instead of hurt." Nope. You need a state to monopolize coercion, thereby maximizing freedom. People and corporations are not obligated to help. They should be free to offer their goods and services under the terms of their choosing, and others should be free to accept or reject those terms. This only requires the state to curtail violence, theft, fraud, and maybe a few other basic sins that interfere with free choices about exchange, and it must use force to do so. However, when it extends its use of force beyond that to coerce people into performing the actions the power brokers choose, it takes away that freedom to choose how you use your own resources. Now, will a state ever do that perfectly? No. A state is made up of humans, and humans never do anything perfectly. But when we aspire to that standard, we can get pretty close, and we get most of the benefits of that system when we're close. Bad things will still happen, but people will be incentivized to not do them since they'll pay the price personally.
John Locke would view the current Progressive movement with horror
Why? Fighting for equality ? Isn't that the exact same thing he advocated
Modern Conservatism too
Progressives are against the constitution in almost everything they do, nothing good has come from it. A poison wrapped in a pretty package and labeling is still a poison, example: Antifa(fascist to the core), BLM(marxist/socialist/communist), Planned parenthood(genocide of the black community) and so on. Lot's of pretty labels to manipulate a people that have become superficial thus only look on the surface.
@Drinker_Of_ Milk you are what your actions say you are not what you label yourself to be, (looks like a duck, acts like a duck and quacks like a duck,,you must be a duck)
@Tim Cantrell so black people getting longer sentences for the same crime is equality? I don't think so
We have lost Patrick Henry. No balls left
No, we have not. Patrick Henry is alive and well.
True
@Matthew Jones We have.
"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"
- P.H.
@Matthew Jones That may be. But, his ideas promoted freedom for all men whether he connected the dots or not at the time. No more chains. Live free or die trying.
@Matthew Jones How would you like to confront it?
“It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.” - Thomas Jefferson
Please look this up. A history teacher at walled lake western in metro Detroit Mi has lost his job for simply tweeting trump is our president. A man in his twenties has lost his job and possibly damaged his hopes of getting an other job for just saying who the president is.
Thank you, Ben. I'm sharing this video with my family right now.
Thank you.....William and Sharron Huff.
Good luck telling people that freedom comes before government... people just want to be taken care of and told what to do now, not free. It’s disgusting.
It's disturbing too 😳
Yet when it comes to freedom to choose our sexuality, gender,etc it gets controlled. If you're about freedom then you should have been pissed when Trump signed an executive order allowing hospitals to refuse LGBT patients. or is it Freedom to refuse who to care for?
ferbbat101 That’s science.
ferbbat101 freedom to choose you sexuality is controlled by science, not the government... in fact, some government schools encourage it. Science still has more authority than any government.
@@angrypatriot9989 If that was true then why did Trump order healthcare rights to be stripped from LGBT folks? you talk about freedom. We should all have the freedom to live.
_“If We Lose _*_John Wick,_*_ We Lose America”_
☝️ Yes! I couldn’t agree more.
Look up the slippery slope fallacy. That is what this video is.
@Matthew Hanna First Keanu Reeves will have to be unavailable, and he's pretty much immortal.
Xenahx - Don’t need to look it up. I’m very well versed in nearly the entire spectrum of logic fallacies.
But considering the intent of your response, I should watch the video first, right? I commented 2 days ago, 2 days before the video went live. I haven’t even watched the video yet- just throwing a bit of flippant good humor into the pile of YT comments.
Clicked into the description saying Shapiro better be the one explaining Locke. Not disappointed.
Stannis Baratheon Shapiro is controlled opposition. He isn’t right wing at all.
Shapiro isn’t a Liberal. He’s a Neocon at best. He appeals to our traditional liberal values when it suits him. And then whenever he has the opportunity to deviate from those values he takes it. Shapiro SHOULD NOT be the one talking about Locke. There should be a genuine Liberal talking about Locke, and a Liberal that actually understands Locke too. Of whom I would say the best person to do so is Sargon of Akkad.
I would recognize your voice anywhere...love it: so positive,so clear , so meaningful!
Love, love, love, this video!
Ops
Just shared this with Kim Jong Un.
and then he blocked u and tweeted ur address to antifa
Look out you got some protesters coming your way apparently commenting on the internet now days is enough reason for cops to show up at your house
LOL LOL LOL Good One!
I can’t get out of my bedroom, the door is stuck.
- John Locked 😏
Yah lmaoo
The origins of natural law:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, ... For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people”-Jeremiah 31;31,33 ESV
@chespokotota
That's correct.
@AmericanRelic2hear
You sound brainwashed yourself.
I serve only 1 Jew.
chespokotota I understand Jonathan’s comment to mean, natural law is ultimately from God. It is written more deeply in our hearts as we make and keep covenants with Him. That is why these tyrannical forms of government such as present-day communist China want to control and keep religiosity to a minimum - because the more people understand the true source of personal agency and life itself, the more those individuals will make God their ultimate ruler rather than any other outside force.
The beauty of that transformation is that because God is without imperfection and thus a perfect ruler, He will ALWAYS lead us to do good. So when you have that scenario, societies can work harmoniously. But that harmony is only as good as the righteousness of its people.
And that is why America has so greatly succeeded (NOT PERFECTLY, by any means) as a society for so many years - because it was founded upon God’s laws and principles of which personal free agency (freedom) is paramount!
But as wickedness increases among a people or society, those many freedoms diminish. Very sadly, we are seeing that in our beloved America today.
@@caseyc9658 Well said!
Brilliant, absolutely brilliant - in two, three words, it is said everything!
Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Hupp!
This is why people need to understand that classical Liberalism, American Conservatism, and Libertarianism are essentially the same. They are the building blocks to modern Western Civilization and the greatest forms of political philosophy known to man. If we forget this ideology America, freedom, and everything we know and love will die.
I'm a Conservative. But I think the closest to the classical liberals are Libertarian Conservatives. Straight up libertarians oppose many fundamental governmental institutions for the Founding Fathers to agree with them. Conservatives while we respect the founding fathers and their beliefs also respect other institutions of our country such as the Military and it's necessity in our world to keep us free. Founding fathers would not have agreed with a standing army, though they may have changed their minds when they realized there are ICBMs and the economies of scale of globalism. The early 20th century was a radical transformation of the world, and returning to the age of hiding behind our borders is no longer possible.
@@joelt2002 well, I'm certainly not an expert but I'm not sure where you get the notion that the Founding Fathers would oppose the idea of the military, which you're right isn't an idea appropriate for this day and age. Additionally, while I agree with most American Conservative values, part of my problem with identifying as a Conservative is that it implies you agree with ALL the founding values and principles of this country, so, to use your example of the Founding Fathers being opposed to the idea of a military, assuming that's true, it seems hypocritical to say that's an impractical idea in modern America, which it is, and also call yourself a conservative which means you would be trying to CONSERVE that and many founding principles and values. And finally, I never said they were the exact same I just meant in the broad scheme of things those three ideologies are very similar.😉
@Johnny Heins well considering that the Democrats have gone from a past of racism, slavery, and Confederacy to supporting Socialistic economic changes, illegal immigration, complete disregard of constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms, along with pretty much every other founding American value, weaponizing minorities through lies and propaganda, pandering, and manipulation through identity politics, ultra political correctness, nonsensical theories on gender, promotion of complete moral degeneracy, drugs, porn, etc..., hatred and bigotry for any dissenting opinion and suppression of said opinion, brainwashing the public through the education system and the media because their views are too weak in a rational debate, all in an attempt to kill the America we know and love so they can gain more power. So yeah, I think they are trying to destroy the ideas that make America the greatest country on earth and hence the country we know.
@Johnny Heins if I were to elaborate and validate every point I made that would be a book not a TH-cam comment. I'm more than happy to explain everyone single point to you in full but we gotta go one at a time and we need to have a genuine desire to hear the other person's view. So feel free to pick whichever point you want explained first and I'll try and have an answer by tomorrow, I'm going to bed. And no, none of this is conspiracy these are actually very carefully thought out and are backed by data and evidence. Piece✌
@Johnny Heins first off, i never said Liberal education is brainwashing the public, i said Leftist ideology has gained prominence in the education system: its just a fact that the vast majority of educators are registered Democrats, who's biases and ideas will inevitably slip into there teachings, and that most collage campuses have speech codes that suppress unpopular ideas. Even more striking is that Progressivist Leftist ideology is actually in the curriculum: ideas like " America is systemically biased and discriminatory against women and people of color", " gender is a social construct", and that " socialism is an economic theory of compassion and capitalism one of greed", and of course the ever prevalent political correctness. Some examples from personal experience are things like: my older brother when taking collage classes was told that the term " assault weapon" was a real term, which its not, an 8 year old friend if my little brothers was taught that Trump's border wall was an economic liability and costs money, which it doesn't, it saves money. The examples are endless: maybe the fact that a Perdue University student was given an F on her paper cause she used the word mankind in it. All of these are Leftist ideas and principles that are dangerous to the longevity of America and which are devoid of logical or factual merit so they must be taught to the young and ignorant, i dont blame the students that hold these views because its all they have been taught.
"I wish you had believed me"
-JL
-Me on the daily
lol
Hey everyone. Just here to remind all of you to be active tomorrow in the PragerU Back the Police initiative. Don't forget to support our police! In case you haven't received the PragerU emails I can resend them to you if you want to
#BackTheBlue
#DefendThePolice
In truth we trust As in any profession you support the good ones off course but by doing so you kinda have to support the entire organization. Nobody here is defending Derek Chauvin or anything like that. We're just supporting the police in general since the overwhelmingly majority of them are good cops and good people.
Thank you! Downloading some Locke to read right now. I just finished Thomas Paine's "Common Sense". Beautifully written.. another essential read into the American Revolution.
Awesome. Thanks for this.
Can anyone explain how we've stopped remembering John Locke? I recently studied him in both a medieval & Renaissance history class I took and a US History class. Are the liberals saying cancel Locke?
They want to put "lock down".
@Bigfoottehchipmunk Schools have changed a lot more since the late 80s and 90s. We are learning ideas, not just dates and people. Public schools have made long strides.
Oh we talk about him a lot. important to world history and civics courses.
Sargon's done it again
I always thought John Locke was on the mysterious island, and could suddenly walk after Oceanic Flight 815 crashed. 😉
Look closely at many of the names on Lost.
bighand69, I know. I was making a joke. 😊
Well done Ben. Thank you Dennis Prager.
Ben Shapiro: If we lose John Locke, we lose America.
Liberals: I'm about to end John Locke's whole career.
John locke is a liberal.
@@jonasfelisilda5777 "classical liberal" = libertarian
It literally means that we have lost California.
I would love to see the other side argue these points.
Argument: "It'S bY a WhITe MaLE"
Well first of all there is not much to argue if you happen to agree on the existance of the natural rights as defined by Lock and the fact that the goverment is meant to preserve them. Those rights are, as defined by Lock the right to life, liberty, health and property. And right now the government is doing quite a okish job in protecting all but the third of those. However I also don't happen to see why those 4 rights are under special attack right now.
The real question and main argument lies in the questioning of Locks entire System.
First of all the choice of these 4 rights appears to be quite arbitrary and the explenation that they derive directly from his understanding of human nature is not at all sufficient. Why right to property? Why no right to education? etc.. Secondly how far do those rights reach? Is the goverment obligated to provide food and shelter for you, so that you may live and is it allowed or even obligated to take away property from others if this property impairs your liberty (For example do you have the liberty to live in which city you like? Can the government the force private investors to let go of the housing they bought to give you the oportunity to move in)? And how much taxes is the goverment allowed and how much is it obligated to collect to respect the right to property but to be also able fullfill it's service.
Last of all: while some appear to think that the majority consens necessary for the existance of government has anything to do with democracy, following Lock that is not the case. A heradidtary monarchy would, once the power is conferred, also be fully justified as long as it preserves the rights mentioned above. This can be viewed as quite problematic as it implies that whether the people are able to control the power given to the government does not matter at all as long as the government itself complies with Locks own ideals.
Thank You PragerU. I will be passing this on Directly to family and colleagues. Hopefully these ideals (all your videos) will educate them before it is too late.
Thank you Prager U!! Thak you Ben Shapiro!!
America was already lost when this year began
"it is as you will it."
USA*
@@RobertSchley Only if I have military backing.
@@minermike61 despot?
This is cool to know if u watched the show lost as they had a character based off him
Number 4: The right of Government to force an Individual to cover one's face and maintain separation from other forms of though
No it is not a right but there are protections within the constitution. The world is not perfect.
bighand69 it is the government’s responsibility to protect physical harm that is greater than any individual. In this sense, the government has to work to mitigate the spread of the virus.
Glad to see Ben in the channel!!!
God bless you Ben and Prager for continuing to fight for these ideas. I am heartbroken over our current plight.
why did i read "If We Lose John Wick, We Lose America"
Yeah, I read it as If We Lose John Wayne We Lose America.
He also said people have a right to health but I guess Ben doesn’t want to show that liberals have ideas supported by John Locke
That and the complete separation of church and state
Please provide a quote with appropriate context. I doubt he said the government needs to provide all care for all people. Reason and logic say that there are limited funds from the government, and they can't do all things. New medical technology will always go to those who can afford it first. This is why the US has more ventilators than the entire continent of Africa.
Health is different than health care. Wealth is not a fundamental human right. Therefore health care will not be distributed equally unless you impose socialism into it, which inevitably means you steal from the wealthy to give to the poor, making the entire system poorer.
If by "have a right to" he meant "are entitled to, and must be provided with" then yes.
If by "have a right to" he meant "are free to pursue and access without hindrance by other persons or government without just cause and due process" then no.
I am open to hearing arguments about whether a man of his time would mean the former versus the latter.
Damn you fools got me waiting 2 days.
You can read it in the description, funnily enough.
long time to wait for your propaganda
The UK and America are so closely tied,in my humble opinion were cut from the same cloth ,were an extension of each other,I as a Englishman think of American man as the same folk,we truely are brothers and sisters,love from your family
Thank you William & Sharon Hupp
4:49 One of the most conservative lines to ever have been said, and I love it!
Oh yes daddy Ben teach us all you know
Conservative Chicken He will teach you how to be a fake right winger. He’s a liberal. Self-proclaimed. Liberalism leads to degeneracy and moral decay.
RedBadge 11 I’m a liberal (economically) and he’s pro life anti gay and capitalist if that isn’t right wing idk what is
@@ClayandPapyrus do you think being anti-gay is a good thing?
@@bohemond1054
Classical Liberalism is a GOOD thing, unlike the phony modern version.
Seastallion agreed the progressives in the 1910s led by Roosevelt was probably one of the best parties in American history
I never knew Ben Shapiro could talk slow
Great video. Just shared 😁
Great job. Thanks for the video 👍🏾👍🏾
“Have you read Locke?” -Unknown Applebee’s Waiter
I have. Sometimes hard to understand 17th century English.
Yes. As a political science student back in the 90's Locke's "Two Treatises of Gov't" was required reading when you took political theory. Now at the same university I went to, I seriously doubt that Locke even gets an honorable mention in political theory class. Sad state of affairs... that is why I took my framed diploma off the wall and store it in the attic.
@@christopherhylton8462 Well he is a male and white and probably identified as a man so why would they study his work. Difercity is our strength something something...
@@Goldenpaperclip4MR Congrats, Junior.
We talk about Locke in my highschool. :)
It isn't just Locke, but "man's creator" that people have to get back to listening to. Foundational principles in both.
Ive never heard Ben speak this slow ever
Thanks Ben!
Awesome video as always! This is one of the best channels on TH-cam.
John Locke was a complete badass once he got out of that wheelchair. Best character on the show.
hart seller ended america.
based, I hope millions more non-white people come in and drive the white race to extinction so I won't have to hear white nationalists complain online anymore
@Tim Cantrell no I unironically want the idea of "race" to end so that I don't have to listen to white nationalists jerk themselves raw over their dreams of a white ethnostate
PragerU: This script is too long for a five minute video...
Ben Shapiro: Hold my Yamaka
And the TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE!!!!
A brilliant exposition of the topic, thanks Ben.
YT is suppressing this channel hard, never in my recommendations even though i watch basically every channel related to this
Thanks, PragerU and Mr. Shapiro. I always knew that John Locke was important to America but now I know why.
Horrible thumbnail... To suggest America could ever be lost? It isn't King Solomons tomb!..
As a former Democrat. I can say true Democrats are seeing that their party is sliding down the far left slope. No wants what the far left is selling...
lmao if you think America won't ever collapse or lose its hegemony, you've never looked at the history of any powerful country or empire. For example, compare the UK 150 years ago to now
@@artirony410 America isn't a set of keys. Pretty hard to loose... America doesn't revolve around New York, Washington, California, Georgia and Illinois...
@@miketuesday267 yeah but somehow things like Rome, Persia, the old caliphates, etc were all lost. America's no different from them in the end and it will stop existing one day.
As a South African, I have always been fascinated by how certain Americans are so quick to despise what they have. I wish we had what Americans had.
Unfortunately America isn’t as great as it used to be before politicians and presidents have been infringing on our constitution constantly for over 100 years
@@frmyt1135 It is a testimony of your country's greatness, that even after all of that constitutional erosion, you still have a great country. I just hope it somehow changes its trajectory, and move away from its Leftist obsession.
Louis J Wiese Yeah I agree. Despite all of the constant constitutional infringements, I still believe America is the greatest country because of our constitution (at least the freedoms we still have from it, especially free speech) and opportunities. Best of luck to South Africa but we’d love to welcome you here
Thanks ben, my sentiments exactly!
"All men and women are created equal go you know the thing" is actually the correct phrasing. Just saying.. xD
@Despiser Despised I was quoting Joe Biden but it seems you have been living under a rock if you've missed that gaffe. Fun to hear that Joe sounds like a millenial🤣🤣 JUST SAYIN..
@Matthew Jones lol right? he just didnt get the joke and he sounded like a jerk so he's tryin' to bluff it off hahaha ..
Except for black people who he used to benefit from the trans Atlantic slave trade.....
Ben Shapiro taking a speech gentle is brilliant.
So everybody should support the complete separation of church and state
Another reason why Britain is fecking awesome
My teachers taught me well- I am grateful for having real teachers.
Haha many conservatives will be triggered by Shapiros presence on here.
Most are not real conservatives and are more motivated by him being Jewish which is sad really to be honest. The left wing socialists love all the chaos and confusion.
Very interesting they got one of the best enlightenment thinkers and they like their ideology but let’s remember 6 months ago this channel uploaded a video basically saying the enlightenment was a horrible idea.
th-cam.com/video/S9AL0TUHuuM/w-d-xo.html
But you know this is just the hypocrisy of Prager University so I’m not surprised anymore.
yeah lmao they also made a video praising Napoleon and then a couple weeks later made one saying he was bad
You are conflating two different things. The video cited, points out that it was English and Dutch conservatives that begin the philosophies that will inform the founding fathers. Also it states several examples to the point that not everything that came from the Enlightenment was positive.
This video points out that John Locke informed Thomas Jefferson's writing of the Declaration of Independence.
This video never claims the Enlightenment was a flawless time-period. The cited video never claims that nothing from the Enlightenment was good.
There is no hypocrisy there.
@@darthdadt I'm sure you mean well, but don't waste your time and IQ on internet morons. Stupidity never recognizes itself.
Brilliant talk Mr. Shapiro. Captivated by every part of it. Continue your great workA
As a descendent of John Locke.
I urge you to really listen to this message.
Well said, Ben. Thank you, Hupps.
Brilliant explanation. Grateful for this country!