John Locke significantly shaped modern political philosophy with his ideas about government and individual rights. In his works, especially "Two Treatises of Government," Locke argued that governments derive their authority from the consent of the governed and that individuals possess natural rights to life, liberty, and property. Locke's assertion that people have the right to overthrow oppressive governments laid the groundwork for liberal democracy, deeply influencing Enlightenment thinkers and later political revolutions, including the American Revolution. His philosophies have become foundational to democratic governance and the protection of individual freedoms.