Question

How did "taxation without representation" conflict with John Locke's social contract idea of government?

Answer 1

The colonists criticized the Stamp Act as "taxation without representation" because the British laws stated that the government could not tax without representation of the Parliament. John Locke's notion of influenced the American colonist because many of his ideas were used in the creation of the Constitution.

Answer 2

Answer:

The answer to the question: How did "taxation without representation" conflict with John Locke´s social contract idea of government, would be, that this principle implemented by the British against their colonies, that of "taxation without representation" as the Stamp Act was termed, violated one of John Locke´s Social Contract principles: a government depends on the will of the governed, in order to rule, and taxation should not come unless the governed have proper representation in government.

In the case of the Stamp Act, which was implemented by the British against the 13 American colonies, in retaliation for what had happened at Boston, the principles stated in the Social Contract, especially the one on people´s acceptance of government and taxation with representation, were completely ignored and it was part of the fuel that ignited the fever for independence.