Source: Law & LIberty
by Max Skjönsberg
“Josiah Tucker (1713–99), dean of Gloucester Cathedral in England, is best known in the history of political thought as a proto-conservative who had the audacity to question the Lockean natural rights school in the age of the American Revolution. The rebellious spirit of the American Revolution, and even more so its supporters in Britain, made him suspicious of Locke’s theory of government based on the social contract and consent. As a consequence, Tucker is a neglected and underrated thinker who contributed to both the conservative and liberal traditions; his Political and Economic Writings repay careful study.” (02/19/26)