What Is John Locke's Justification Of Private Property

Introduction

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,”( Declaration). These words are written in The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America, and these words were heavily influenced by late philosophical thinker John Locke. One of Locke’s most influential theories is that regarding private property which is laid out in his ‘Second Treatise of Government.’ Locke, in essence, argues that man’s own labour is the justification of property; that private property rights are natural rights because, while God gave earth to all men, people should have “ownership of the fruits of their labour.” (2ndtreatise). This essay will argue that while Locke makes a compelling argument for justifying private property as an unalienable right, there is more compelling evidence and arguments that suggest that Ownership cannot be justified by natural rights and that Locke’s view has instead provided justification for the entrenched inequality of the

This essay will first outline Locke’s argument on private property, then it will delve into the praises and arguments that support Locke’s argument, before finally explaining the criticisms of Locke’s theory and why it actually leads to