January 15

Algernon Sidney wrote influential works on governance and individual liberty. His 'Discourses Concerning Government' challenged absolute monarchy. Sidney's republican ideas inspired later liberal thinkers and the American founding fathers. He was executed in 1683 for alleged involvement in the Rye House Plot. Sidney's martyrdom cemented his reputation as a champion of freedom and conscience.

Pierre-Joseph Proudhon was born in 1809 in Besançon, France, and became a leading voice in 19th-century political thought. His seminal work, 'What Is Property?', argued that property is theft, challenging conventional economic and social theories. He advocated for mutualism and federalist ideas, influencing socialist and anarchist movements across Europe. Proudhon's writings combined rigorous analysis with passionate rhetoric, critiquing both capitalist and authoritarian systems. He also served briefly in the National Assembly, striving to implement his reformist ideals. He died in 1865, leaving a profound impact on modern political philosophy.