John Locke Right Of Ownership

In this paper I will argue that Locke is correct in his belief that there can be a right of ownership in nature. Over the course of this essay, I will look to provide evidence and arguments that support this position and show that law is not necessary for the right to possession. Locke argues that property rights originated when God created the world and that all men have a right to make use of this earth and what It produces in order to lead a more comfortable existence.

Locke argues that in their natural state no man has a right to private use or ownership of these resources as they were given for the use of all men. Locke explains that in order for earth’s natural resources to be provide benefit in an individual man’s life, he must first …show more content…
For example, Locke makes it clear that you cannot lay claim to more of a good than you can benefit from as that is doing a disservice to the common man. If you harvested ten apples, but could only consume seven of them by yourself, you would be wasting three apples that could provide benefit to another man. In The Second Treatise of Government, Locke defines this rule as “if they (the goods) perished in his possession without having been properly used—if the fruits rotted or the venison putrified before he could use it—he offended against the common law of nature, and was liable to be punished” (Locke 15). This guideline is more important today than ever as there are more people vying to benefit from the same common good, and in turn there is greater harm in inefficient distribution of these goods since there would be more people left without a share. The idea of mutual respect in ownership is incredibly important in maintaining functional relations in society, because trusting your fellow man not to wrong you is a key to not needing law to dictate property …show more content…
I believe he is fair in saying that we are meant to gain control of land and goods through our own personal effort, as this approach helps to motivate society. I agree with his idea that a form a sovereign rule is necessary to maintain this order since sometimes there are conflicts that need to be resolved, but a mutual respect between men pertaining to property rights is a fairly strong governing force on its own. I think that Locke does a very good job of discussing how property acquisition and value have changed over the years, and I also agree with his depiction of how the creation of money has led to the advancement wealth and society as well as changed the relationship between property and