The political significance of tolerance in Locke and Voltaire

Abstract

The article examines how Voltaire articulates the concept of religious tolerance with the critique of despotism. This articulation had already been proposed by the English thinkers of the 17th century, particularly by John Locke. Voltaire takes up Locke’s approach, according to which the state should accept religious diversity and allow freedom of belief. However, the French philosopher inserts the debate into the historiographical field, analyzing the role of intolerant sovereigns in the course of European history and, on the other hand, discussing the characteristics and consequences of the religious conflicts that originated civil wars. He defends the thesis that when religious intolerance gains a political dimension and becomes an instrument of groups struggling for power, it compromises the ruler’s legitimacy and peaceful relations between citizens. Key words: religious tolerance, despotism, Voltaire, Locke.