Private Property and the Law of Nature in Locke's TwoTreatises: The Best Advantage of Life and Convenience

Abstract

The study of policy lies at the intersection of economics and ethics, dealing, to a great extent, with private property. Policy design therefore assumes an understanding of the relationship between property and human nature, a matter of great interest to John Locke. Locke's teaching, however, is far from clear, often composed of a set of dual arguments. Yet close attention to the dualistic arguments is revealing: the two objects Locke associates with property—life and convenience—correspond to the two bases upon which he grounds the right to property: labor and consent. His argument reflects the changing economic nature of property, and also provides insight into the poles within which people behave according to the Law of Nature. Thus, a full explication of the relationship between Locke's Law of Nature and doctrine of property illuminates the economic and ethical principles that ought to inform policymakers and analysts.

John Locke’s thoughts on human rights: Exploring the contemporary discourse in the West

“…Value is linked to the good life of a rational human being; it encompasses comprehensive human flourishing, not just money and goods. (Reno, 2009) When seen from this perspective, it is clear that much of the criticism leveled against Locke by the likes of Hettinger (1989), Nozick (1974), or Cohen (1995;Cf. Williams, 1992) is unfounded.…”

Thinking with John Locke about the nature of human rights: vietnamese and global perspectives

“…She believes that it was the introduction of money into the system of social governance that weakened or even destroyed the original relationship between the self and humanity. The resulting division of humankind into separate tribes, peoples, and nations under sovereign national governments reflects the failure of implementing the governing principles of natural law, according to Graf (2018: 560; see also Haddad, 2003 andReno, 2009) which is an idea that can be traced directly to Locke. Another important aspect connected to Locke's notion of natural rights is that of human freedom.…”

Value and growth: Rethinking basic concepts in Lockean liberalism

“…On the other hand, Locke implies that the increased abundance of developed land is invariably the rule. He assigns considerable weight to this increased abundance: it provides a justification for the unequal ownership of land and supports a way of life far beyond the subsistence level that would have been the case without harnessing the productive power of the land (Reno 2009). …”

“…Related to this, Reno (2009) argues convincingly that Locke understands humans to be driven first and foremost by a fundamental sense of "uneasiness of the mind for the lack of some absent good," which is in turn the product of "all bodily pain of whatever kind, and all disquiet of the mind" (ECHU §31). While people can want many types of goods, clearly material goods are included here.…”