Liberty, Governance and Resistance: Competing Discourses in John Locke’s Political Philosophy

John Locke is widely perceived as a foundational figure within the liberal tradition. This book investigates the competing purposes that informed Locke’s political philosophy, not all of which resulted in outcomes consistent with what we today understand as ＂liberal＂ ideals.

John Tate is a Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at the University of Newcastle, Australia. His primary research interest is in the area of political philosophy and history of political thought. In particular, he is interested in issues of freedom of speech, freedom of religion and toleration. He has published in these areas in journals such as the American Journal of Political Science, Political Theory, Political Studies, European Journal of Political Theory, Philosophy and Social Criticism, Journal of Religion, Telos, Journal of European Studies, Australian Journal of Political Science, and Journal of Australian Studies. He is also engaged in an extended study of the political thought of the late seventeenth century English philosopher, John Locke. Locke is an important foundational source, within the liberal tradition, for issues such as freedom of religion and toleration. John Tate has published two monographs on John Locke with Routledge. These are Liberty, Toleration and Equality: John Locke, Jonas Proast and the Letters Concerning Toleration (2016) and Liberty, Governance and Resistance: Competing Discourses in John Locke’s Political Philosophy (2023).