Freedom as the Foundation of Legitimate Government According to John Locke and Its Relevance for Democracy in Indonesia

This paper examines the concept of freedom as the foundation of legitimate government according to John Locke and its relevance for strengthening democracy in Indonesia. Locke emphasizes freedom as a natural right inherent in human beings from the state of nature, possessing moral, rational, and political dimensions that function as the standard of political and moral legitimacy of government. Legitimacy is achieved solely through the consent of the governed; therefore, any exercise of power that violates the freedom of the people constitutes tyranny. The method employed in this study is library research combined with a philosophical hermeneutic approach. This paper highlights that Indonesian democracy continues to face a disparity between formal freedom and substantive freedom, characterized by oligarchic practices, money politics, and restrictions on public participation. The relevance of Locke’s thought is reflected in the necessity of the rule of law, the limitation of power, public accountability, and the strengthening of citizens’ deliberative capacities as rational subjects. By positioning freedom as an ethical and normative foundation, this study finds that Indonesian democracy can only be legitimate, just, and humane if it genuinely respects the moral autonomy of its citizens and establishes popular consent as the source of political legitimacy.