Political Causes
- Colonial governments were dominated by officials sent from Europe, leaving Creoles (American-born Europeans) frustrated by their exclusion from top administrative and military positions.
- The weakening of European monarchies during the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) disrupted colonial control, creating opportunities for local elites to claim political power.
- The American Revolution (1776) and later the French Revolution (1789) provided powerful examples of successful challenges to monarchy and empire, inspiring leaders across the Americas.
Economic Causes
- The mercantilist system restricted colonies to trade only with their mother countries, limiting profits and encouraging smuggling and resentment among colonial merchants.
- Creole elites, plantation owners, and traders sought economic freedom, particularly free trade and control over natural resources, without interference from Europe.
- The extraction of wealth for European benefit (e.g., silver from Peru, sugar from the Caribbean) fueled the belief that colonial economies were being exploited for imperial gain.
Social and Religious Causes
- Deep racial and class divisions, between peninsulares (Europe-born whites), Creoles, mestizos, Indigenous peoples, and enslaved Africans, created resentment and instability in colonial societies.
- The Catholic Church played a complex role: while it often supported royal authority, some clergy, like Father Miguel Hidalgo in Mexico, preached reform and inspired rebellion through religious rhetoric.
- The Haitian Revolution (1791–1804) demonstrated that oppressed groups could rise up and win freedom, influencing both revolutionary movements and elite fears.
John Locke and the Ideals of Enlightenment Liberalism
Natural Rights
- Locke argued that all people are born with natural rights to life, liberty, and property.
- These rights were inherent and not granted by rulers or governments.
- The purpose of government, he claimed, was to protect these rights, not to violate them.
Social Contract
- In his major work, Two Treatises of Government (1690), Locke proposed that societies form a social contract between rulers and citizens.
- People agree to obey laws in exchange for protection of their rights.
- If a ruler becomes tyrannical or fails to protect rights, the people have a right to rebellion and can replace the government.
Government by Consent
- Legitimate political authority comes from the consent of the governed, not divine right.
- Locke rejected absolutism and promoted constitutional government based on laws and representation.
- His ideas laid the foundation for later liberal democracies.
Influence on Revolutions and Enlightenment Thought
Impact on the Americas
- Locke’s principles strongly influenced Thomas Jefferson and the U.S. Declaration of Independence (1776), particularly the phrase “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
- In Latin America, leaders such as Simón Bolívar adapted Locke’s concepts of equality and government by consent to justify independence from Spain.
Broader Legacy
- Locke’s belief in reason, individual rights, and limited government became central to the Enlightenment and liberal political theory.
- His writings encouraged debates about freedom of religion, private property, and education as essential elements of a free society.
