John Locke and the Origins of Private Property: Philosophical Explorations of Individualism, Community, and EqualityJohn Locke's labor theory of property is one of the seminal ideas of political philosophy and served to establish its author's reputation as one of the leading social and political thinkers of all time. Through it Locke addressed many of his most pressing concerns, and earned a reputation as an outstanding spokesman for political individualism - a reputation that lingers widely despite some partial challenges that have been raised in recent years. In this major new study Matthew Kramer offers an extensive critique of the labor theory and investigates the consequences of its downfall. With incisive analyses of the merits and failings of many aspects of Locke's political thought, Kramer advances a powerful challenge to Locke's image as an individualist. Employing a rigorously philosophical methodology, but remaining aware of the insights generated by historical approaches to Locke, Kramer concludes that Locke's political vision was in fact profoundly communitarian. |
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John Locke and the Origins of Private Property: Philosophical Explorations ... Matthew H. Kramer No preview available - 1997 |
Common terms and phrases
appropriate argument assets basic chapter civil collectivism common communitar communitarian concrete rights consequentialist context course creatures crucial distribution dominion duties of nonaggression efficiency efficiency-focused egalitarianism emphasis in original enjoy entail favor fellows focus framework fundamental God's handicapped Hence Hobbesian Hohfeld Hohfeldian holdings human agents human species humankind individualism individualistic Jeremy Waldron John Locke justified labor theory law of nature likewise Locke's theory Lockean world maximizing ments moral natural law natural rights needs never norm of equality obligation one's output owner Paretian passage patterns people's person plunder position possession premise prerogatives preserve principle productive proprietary rights regime rewards rights and powers rights and privileges rights of ownership rights of property Second Treatise self-devotion self-favoritism self-ownership social Social Darwinists society someone specific stances survival sustenance theory of ownership theory of property things tion toil toilers Treatises of Government unowned wealth wealth-maximizing welfare well-being