Locke in the Enlightenment

Throughout the English revolution of 1688, and just after the establishment of the freedom of the press in 1694, the conditions were perfect for a development of a new understanding of knowledge. John Locke, who, in the field of theology, found his starting point, like most prominent thinkers of the age, in the conflict of systems, beliefs, and practices. Out of his reflections on the known facts of experience, he developed new abstract and ethical ideas. In …

…e French nation continued to struggle. In January, 1793 the revolutionary government declared war on Britain, a war for world dominion which would continue for another twenty years. Meanwhile a counterrevolution in France erupted, and the Paris community continued to pressure the new government for more radical change. Obviously the French Revolution was not over, but it had greatly been affected by all five of these extremely important events of the moderate phase of the revolution.