Quote by John Locke: “Government has no other end but the preservation of property.”

Locke believed the main purpose of government is to protect people's 'property,' which for him included their lives, liberties, and estates. This means the state should safeguard fundamental rights and possessions, ensuring societal stability and individual security.

This core idea from Locke's Two Treatises of Government challenged absolute monarchy by arguing that government's legitimacy derived from its ability to protect individual rights, not divine right. This reshaped political philosophy.

English philosopher born in 1632, one of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers. His Two Treatises of Government argued that legitimate political authority requires consent of the governed, directly influencing the American and French revolutions. His Essay Concerning Human Understanding laid foundations for modern epistemology and empiricist philosophy.