In 539 B.C., the king of Persia, Cyrus the Great, conquered the city of Babylon. Although defeating Babylon was a big accomplishment in itself, what Cyrus did next would change the course of history for mankind. Cyrus the Great did something that was unheard of at the time. He freed all of the slaves of Babylon. In doing so, he also declared that all people had the right to choose their own religion, and he advocated for racial equality. Unknowingly, Cyrus the Great began the first campaign in history for human rights. Although human rights may have been established by Cyrus in 539 B.C., the idea of human rights did not resurface fully until the Enlightenment. Many rulers before the time of the Enlightenment thought of people as their subjects
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Locke played off of Hobbes idea that the sovereign must justify its exercise of power. In contrast however, Locke went much further into identifying human rights.
Locke writes that:
The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges every one: and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions: for men being all the workmanship of one omnipotent, and infinitely wise maker. (Locke 107)
Locke believed that in a state of nature all men are inherently equal. Each man was created by an ‘infinitely wise maker.’ Locke agreed with Hobbes that it is man’s duty to act in their own self-interest and seek self-preservation. However he also believed that men had a right to life, liberty, and property, and that those rights were not to be taken away from man under any circumstances. Since Locke believed that man was guided by reason, he believed that men would reason that in order to preserve themselves, they would also have to preserve the state of other men. Therefore Locke argued that the state of nature was ideal and that men harmoniously worked together to achieve
Locke played off of Hobbes idea that the sovereign must justify its exercise of power. In contrast however, Locke went much further into identifying human rights.
Locke writes that:
The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges every one: and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions: for men being all the workmanship of one omnipotent, and infinitely wise maker. (Locke 107)
Locke believed that in a state of nature all men are inherently equal. Each man was created by an ‘infinitely wise maker.’ Locke agreed with Hobbes that it is man’s duty to act in their own self-interest and seek self-preservation. However he also believed that men had a right to life, liberty, and property, and that those rights were not to be taken away from man under any circumstances. Since Locke believed that man was guided by reason, he believed that men would reason that in order to preserve themselves, they would also have to preserve the state of other men. Therefore Locke argued that the state of nature was ideal and that men harmoniously worked together to achieve