Theories by John Locke - Essay Example

Locke John Locke was A British philosopher who was best known for his personal identity theory and an anti itarian state theory. John Locke contended that owning property privately was everyone’s natural right since it is the only manner through which man can be self-sustaining in physical comfort. Despite the fact that resources on earth are by nature without prior claim by an individual and in common ownership, Locke argues that, labor is required in order to utilize the resources (Locke 34). Labor, in this sense, can be defined as application of lawful and natural effort by an individual to own what was previously common property without any individual owner. Without getting consent from the original owner, at this point, no one can possess the resources (Locke 35). Accordingly, all individuals must labor to acquire property. In addition, the property must personally benefit the individual for it to be considered individual property. Labor that the individual cannot use can be traded in for money, which can later be re-traded for property. Locke contrasts gaining of possession through actions both natural and unnatural. The major difference between the two processes is whether the property that one sought for ownership had a previous owner or still lay within the common ownership domain. People who want to acquire property that already belongs to other individuals do not apply labor to own the property (Locke 40). Instead, they are out to own what someone else has already applied his/her labor to with nothing, such as money, in return. While it can be argued that any individual taking ownership of anything should first seek out others to ask their permission if the community owned it, Locke deemed this approach impractical. He compares it to requiring permission from everyone in sight before eating an apple one has found fallen by the roadside (Locke 41). Similarly, if an individual takes ownership of property and leaves more of the same for other people to own and enjoy, no property usurpation can be claimed to have gone on. This should be considered as an action of natural occurrence. However, Locke does caution on how natural private property can be, arguing that the individual should only take as much as is required for personal and family enjoyment (Locke 45). In addition, the property must be only enough for enjoyment without it going bad in the process. For instance, it is not natural in his view to hoard what can perish. While this is true, it is not unnatural for an individual to own or gather more than is enough for personal consumption if the excess is further traded for the purpose of attaining what one does not own or produce. Since labor endows private property with its naturalness, an individual cannot claim property simply for owning it. The individual is required to labor on the land. Therefore, any individual can lose ownership of their property if there is no application of labor (Locke 46). This is because, in that state, the property is not of benefit to them or anyone else. From a cursory reading of Locke, one could assume that he proposes that it is right for a person to put up boundaries on national parks and apply labor to it, allowing the property to become his/her private property. However, deeper reading counters this interpretation by showing that, at this point, there is there is an overlap of divine law and human law. While nature allows man to use earth as he sees best for convenience and self-sustenance, man is not necessarily the determinant of how individuals will use the land (Locke 50). For this reason, people come together to create social bodies and jurisdictions such as towns and villages, which determine the best way to benefit collectively from the resources. Sometimes, these jurisdictions may determine that some land will be left out of individual hands and be in common ownership. Attempting to own the property individually would cause a decrease in its usefulness to the community that possesses the land together. Natural and human laws complement each other in a case like this and human law is used to judge the individual who attempts such an action. In the same vein, however, any attempt to stop someone from acquiring property that has no prior owner or officially been declared under human law as being in common ownership, is unlawful and unnatural (Locke 52). With this form of ownership, another problem arises when it comes to inequality in ownership of property. So as to attain justice in the face of inequality, there has to be factors that produce maximum benefits to persons in the community, while, at the same time, reducing the possible harm to a minimum (Locke 54). In the Second Treatise on Government, Locke reaches a conclusion that inequality in terms of economic empowerment is necessary for the government to be economically sound. It is also necessary for individuals to be sufficiently motivated to acquire ownership of property. As long as persons have the ability and capability to apply their labor in the pursuit of property and value that allows them to own other property, individual and communal rights to property, liberty, and life are achieved. The same is true as long as labor applied by the individual equals the value attributable to that labor. Individuals who, through none of their fault, have diminished opportunity to property for their own ownership possess similar natural rights as other individuals in the community and society (Locke 55). For this reason, there are some individuals who have to acquire and own more property than others so as to allow individuals without similar opportunities to apply their labor for exchange of money. This money, in turn, can be used to acquire property. The most pertinent question that one asks throughout Locke’s writings is whether accumulation of property and wealth is a natural right similar to ownership of property. Lock seems to think that it is, contending that the only natural action would be accumulation of perishable property. Durable property with assigned value by a community is acquirable by honest and natural labor beyond what is considered a natural limit, which is determined by the immediate requirements of the owner. Because labor is used to acquire the property, the excess property is naturally acquired and is exchangeable for other products and property of similar value if there is need to do so. Wealth accumulation is fundamental for the progress of humans. It is only when a society generates excess wealth that they can spend it on technological innovations and exploration of unclaimed lands, which can then be acquired through use of labor. Work Cited Locke, John. Second Treatise of Government: Boston: MobileReference.com, 2010. Print Read More