John Locke, the individual, and the origin of communication

Abstract

Communication is a product of a particular historical epoch and set of social conditions. The concept emerges in classic liberalism and presupposes a society in which individuals are thought of as free from external constraints of society, others, history, and language, and are seen as holders of private property in both material goods and consciousness. John Locke's linguistic and political theories illustrate the birth of communication and the conditions and commitments that accompany that term in contemporary theory and society.