This leads to determining why Locke believed that all humans have a natural right to property. Every man is a creation of God’s, and is granted with certain individual abilities and characteristics as gifts from God (Section 25). Not being able to know God’s exact wishes for man, Locke believed that all men have an obligation to develop these gifts (Section 26). Each man would develop his natural skills and potentials to the best of his abilities, in the service of God (Section 26).
In keeping with the theory of one’s body is one’s own, a man’s property can be explained in terms of the different aspects of his labor. Physical labor, exertion of his mind, or work of his hands to produce products for this person’s labor, is then his own property (Section 27). Locke believed that one did not need the consent of a ruling body, as far as property was concerned, because it is the combination of labor and nature that makes anything owned (Section 28). Locke believed that as long as there was plenty for others in the collective store, one was not infringing on another’s natural rights (Section 31). Because property production or the use of labor was completely individualistic, a person should not be able to control another’s labor. Committing such an act would be an infringement on their natural rights (Section 36).
Natural rights in the Second Treatise of Government derive from the “independence” and “equality” that constitute the state of nature (Section 6). Without the right of every individual to own, protect, and punish offenders “law of nature,” there can be no individual freedom (Section 7). The state of nature is the collection of individual property. It consists of owners who posses and protect these rights without fear of the loss of their wealth and life by any other individual or a government (Section 6). In this society, the individual is governed by Reason, given to mankind by “one omnipotent, and infinitely wise maker” (Section 6).
Locke’s understanding is that in the state of nature, everyone has the “executive power” and even duty to punish offenders of natural liberty. In addition, every individual also has the ability to use their reason to judge the accused, and legislate the punishment of the convicted (Section 13). With no ruling power above to exercise absolute reason and will over his “subjects,” each individual must exercise this “law of reason” for themselves (Section 13).
Locke believed that the power for social control must come from the sovereign. This sovereign is responsible to the will of the people, but has a protective authority, governing both over land and people (Section 95). Locke believed that if a community of people, chose to live and socialize among each other, they must enter into a social agreement. This force was the power of the majority displayed through the creation of a sovereign. Problems can arise, when individuals cannot agree. For this reason, there must be a ruler and government to decide disagreements, make and enforce laws, and govern man (Section 96).
The enforcement of rules is not as absolute as it may appear. Even with the existence of a limited monarchy, man retains his individual and God given rights (Section 135). As such, the sovereign had no right to acquire or take away the property of another. If he did so he would be going against, God, the people, and all that is natural (Section 135). The extent of the services of the sovereign is to govern over, protect, and enforce the laws of the people (Section 135). Locke believed that the role of the sovereign and its authority is in serving the people and that there must not be absolute authority (Section 137). In this way, Locke is seen as a person who wants to limit the power of the sovereign over the individual.
Locke’s ideas of property are based on God given rights. Each person has been given a body, with certain abilities and potentials, to use by God. The use of this body is called labor and its product is called property (Section 27). Since each person has a body and a level of potential, everyone is capable of producing property. The purpose of the sovereign is to protect the individuals right to property (Section 135). The sovereign is limited in its power, and does not have the right to take or interfere with any man’s property, since to do so would be an interference with the right’s of man as given by God (Section 135). It was Locke’s hope that with such beliefs behind people and their government, they might achieve and preserve Locke’s version of the good life which consists of a right to life, liberty, and property.
Work Cited
Locke, John. Second Treatise on Government. Indianapolis : Hackett
