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Critically Describe Locke Theory of Property?

Autor:   •  November 18, 2016  •  Coursework  •  413 Words (2 Pages)  •  845 Views

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Critically describe Locke theory of property?

Locke is of the opinion that, properties do not have much value as of in a natural form rather he is of the view that labour adds the deserving value to the property which is regarded as the principle of first appropriation; the ownership to a property is created by the related labour that Government proceeds property as Government also protects individual ownerships or rights to the property; the Government cannot act arbitrarily to remove individuals from estates and this confirms rights of people to the property and it also establishes that the Government must value individual rights and labors. Locke used a labor theory to make the bridge from common to private property. Man is able to call property "private" meaning man has exclusive use and disposal rights, by using his labor. Locke argues that when we mix our labor with a piece of property, that property becomes ours. Therefore, whenever someone encloses a piece of land, farms or cultivates it, it becomes his or hers because of the labor he or she has invested in it.


For example, if someone has removed the hurdles to get a space and park a car so you have invested a lot of labor in removing the hurdles, it's logical to place a car in the parking space so someone else won't take it. The argument is logically Lockian: I invested my time and labor, so I deserve the space. In this case, labor mixes with something "in the state of nature" and so becomes our property.

Locke then places a bound on this type of acquisition, a person may only acquire as many things in this way as he or she can reasonably use to their advantage. To continue the parking example, I can only take space for parking where I can reasonably park my car; if I take too many spaces and some space has not been used and wasted, I have overextended my natural rights of acquisition. One can only take so much as one can use.

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