NC 250
John Locke: The philosopher behind America’s freedom
As we get closer to the 250th celebration of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, it’s important to go back and explore the roots of the document. Much of…
John Locke
English philosopher and physician (1632–1704)
Freedom Focus
Freedom Focus
How John Locke’s thoughts inspired the Founding Fathers
As our nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, much discussion surrounds the people, actions, and motivations that made America’s founding possible. Once the Revolutionary War was won, our Founders had to…
Budget, Taxation & Economy
North Carolina’s Medicaid expansion financing gap that no one is talking about
A provision in last year’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” mandates that beginning in 2028, the maximum provider tax rate states are allowed to charge will be reduced from 6…
Freedom Focus
Freedom Focus
Life, liberty, and property
Perhaps the greatest political science lesson ever taught can be found in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that…
Freedom Focus
Freedom Focus
Political friendship and the fracture of the American Right
American conservatism is experiencing its most serious internal strain since the collapse of the New Deal consensus. Disputes over trade, executive power, postliberalism, and the boundaries of the conservative coalition…
Liberty
Risky business
What a difference two years can make. I’m talking about the two years between 1774 and 1776, as North Carolinians — as well as other American colonists — shifted from…
Elections & Public Integrity
Follow the latest primary election data at Locke
Votes have started coming in for the March 3 primary. The John Locke Foundation provides several election data products that will help you better understand what is happening in the…
Freedom Focus
Budget, Taxation & Economy
What is the role of a think tank?
As we begin a new year, it is worth reflecting on the institutions that shape public policy in America — and the principles that ought to guide them. For the…
NC 250
Guardians of their own liberty
As part of the John Locke Foundation’s NC250: Freedom’s Vanguard initiative, this essay contest invited students, scholars, historians, and writers to explore North Carolina’s pivotal role in the American Revolution…
Freedom Focus
Freedom Focus
Liberalism, conservatism, and America’s vocabulary problem
I grew up a Rush Baby. Some of my earliest political memories come not from school or textbooks but from Rush Limbaugh’s unmistakable voice filling our car. I subscribed to…
NC 250
Ken Burns’ “The American Revolution” premieres Sunday on PBS
Like ours, many organizations have been ramping up for July 2026, which marks the 250th anniversary celebration of the signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. The event we celebrate…
Liberty
Ken Burns interview, JLF podcast highlight NC’s role in American Revolution
As 2026 approaches and America prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, many individuals and groups have undertaken efforts to spotlight North Carolina’s…