Born August 29th, 1632 in Wrington, England, Locke attended Westminster and Oxford, studying both medicine and philosophy. Locke’s theories centered on the study of epistemology, the individual, and the interplay of society and government. Locke was influential on the founding of the independence of the United States, and critical passages of the Declaration of Independence stem directly from Locke’s work on the functions of Government. In addition, his work in political theory influenced thinkers such as Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Emmanuel Kant. Locke’s views, although established in the 17th century, remain a powerful influence in modern society and his theories provide a link from the ancient to contemporary world.

Theory of Property

● In his famous Two Treatises on Government, Locke provides a theory of the origin of property and how it is best utilized.

- Locke argues that God created the Earth and gave it, and all its features, to humanity for the Earth’s resources to be held in common.

- For Locke, each human being “owns” themselves; this right is universal to all people.

- From this fundamental right, Locke contends that when people mix their labor (which they own) with something that is common to all, property emerges.

- In this process, one takes something from the state of nature (being common) into one’s property.

- “He has removed the item from the common state that nature has placed it in, and through his labor the item has had annexed to it something that excludes the common right of other men” (Locke, 21)

- Locke’s theory is fundamental for capitalists; it justifies the accumulation of wealth as something that is natural and beneficial to all.

- For Locke, taking land as one’s property means a person is taking less efficient land and, after he has applied his labor to make it, made it more efficient.

- “Furthermore, someone who comes to own land through his labour doesn’t lessen the common stock of mankind, but increases it” (Locke, 24)

• In today’s society Locke would be against government tax increases, as it directly takes away from the worker’s money – something Locke states is an infringement of one’s natural rights.

Question for thought: Locke’s theory forces us to ask ourselves: if one has the ability to constantly increase one’s wealth, if/when does this accumulation of wealth become more harmful than helpful to society?

Government and Political Society

● Locke opens his discussion of political theory with the question: “why would [anyone] part with their freedom?”

- His answer lies in his understanding of humanity in the state of nature. In the state of nature, Locke contends, most people are unconcerned with justice or fairness, and will try to take property from those who have it, if they are able.

- Thus, people relinquish some of their freedom to protect their property; they give this freedom to a commonwealth in order to do so.

- Locke writes that the state of nature lacks (1) established law to decide controversies, (2) a judge that is unbiased to enforce the law, and (3) power to support any decisions of law or judges.

- “Thus mankind are in poor shape while they remain in the state of nature… so that they are quickly driven into society” (Locke, 26).

● If Locke were to pilot the economic rescue mission today, he would advocate a limited government; for him, a federal bailout would have no positive end.

• In the current state of the economy, we are forced to ask if there comes a point where government needs to play a major role even if it may be best as a limited entity.

Questions for thought: In pondering Locke’s theory of government, we should ask ourselves: is justice, in general, involved in such a society? If those that have property are the ones that form the society and therefore create the laws, should we not be skeptical of the fairness of the laws?

By: Jake Gofman, Jamie Lagarce, and Mike Lydon

References:

John Locke, The Second Treatise of Civil Government, from Introduction to Philosophy: Readings, compiled by John Immerwahr, Villanova University, Dec. 2008.