Fish- Blog Post 1

January 27, 2021


In Chapter V, Locke explains exactly why property is so important to civil society, and how members come to legitimate their property through labor. Locke’s central focus looks to how members can come to legitimate their private property through labor or, later, money, and makes the claim that with private property earned through labor, there is “no room for quarrel” (Par. 39).  


Locke finds that property is earned through work (Par. 38). In Par. 27, Locke explains how, before a man performs any act of labor, the land is just common. But, when a man “mixes” labor with common land, it becomes his property. So long as he uses it before it is spoiled, it is his. 


The central flaw of Locke’s analysis comes with the fact that he views the introduction of private property as the end of quarrels (Par. 39). Locke overstates the role and power of law in a civil society. In Par. 57, Locke states that law, the functioning authority in civil society, is simply meant to “preserve and enlarge freedom.” By making the claim that private property negates the need for quarrels, he forgets that civil society and the laws within it do not eliminate the problems of a state of nature, but simply dull their effects. Locke also explains in Chapter IX how man gives up many natural rights in order to have, ironically, more freedom. True liberty requires constraint in order for those liberties to be preserved for everyone, but that does not mean natural human tendencies of greed, aggression, and competition suddenly disappear (Par. 129, 130).


The role of civil society is to create a mechanism to resolve quarrels, but not to eliminate them completely as that is an impossible task. Seeing even how Locke explains the impact that money can have, as people can take unequal amounts of property and goods, civil society can have challenges over the amount people have or do not have (Par. 50). Money allows for members of society to take more than they need (Par. 48, 49). Even before a time when money existed, greed has always been a powerful force in man. Having only “as much as he could make use of” still likely was not enough for many who always sought out more (Par. 36). Law helps to control quarrels, not erase them.


Comments

Paul Hurley said…
You attribute to Locke the view that private property negates the need for quarrels, but doesn't Locke argue that until there is a common judge who can eliminate bias in favor of one's own case, quarrels will inevitably erupt in the state of nature? Don't we enter into civil society to erect a common power who can adjudicate such quarrels in ways that we all recognize as legitimate, putting them to rest?
January 28, 2021 at 2:07 PM
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