John Locke’s “Two Treatises on Government” is perhaps the first to articulate the basic principles of modern liberalism. Furthering his explanation of the basis of morality as to how it justifies the holding of property, John Locke examines how one can and cannot morally possess material goods. He states that the law of nature demands that no one shall waste or spoil anything that others could use. Arguing that one’s claims to the products of the earth is in truth owned in common by everyone; the right of subsistence cannot justify waste, for one does not own the Earth. Exercising natural law, he further states that justice demands society distribute excesses to those who need sustenance (Locke, Second Treatise, V, 25). The cultivation of land may make it the property of a man, but the fruits produced either must be put to good use through sale, or given to others in order to insure that there shall be no waste. This argument is not inherent in his conception of a social contract, but it does constitute the common agreement that man must engage with his fellow man in order to assure not only order, but also a just society based on the laws of nature (Locke, Second Treatise, V, 26). Students are asked to contemplate the following question: “How does John Locke’s argument that justice demands the provision of sustenance for those in need, when our society is founded on the notion that private property is to always be respected?”
YOUR TASK FOR THIS PAPER IS TO ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
Come to terms with John Locke’s understanding of man’s natural rights in contrast to those relinquished when entering into a social contract. Does this entail releasing one’s absolute rights to their property? What are some examples of property?
John Locke supports the conception of a social contract, but seems to favor a more activist role for the government in assuring equality through political activism. Does this mean his willingness for the weakening of private property rights? Is this issue more of a concern today than 100 years ago?
Come to terms with your own philosophical belief system. Do you agree or disagree with John Locke’s assertions? What changes, if any, do you recommend?
ALL OF THE FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS MUST BE FOLLOWED. THE PAPER MUST BE:
TYPED! Five pages (coversheet not included). NOTE: You can type till your heart’s content.
The paper should have 1-inch margins with a font size of 11 or 12 and be double-spaced.
Written well in your own words.
Papers must be submitted according to the posted due date on the course calendar.
Send via Canvas!
PAPER LAYOUT: It is recommended that your paper be laid out in the following manner:
Coversheet: Paper title, name, class, section number, e-mail address and instructor’s name.
Introduction: Begin your paper with an introduction that tells the reader how your paper is going to be laid out. Never assume the reader already knows about the subject you are writing about. Tell the reader (Dr. T) what you are writing about all while thinking about the following phrase “Here is the path I’m taking you down and here is why!”
Body: This is the “guts” of your paper.
Conclusion: State how the American Political System can be improved.
ABOUT CITING: The last section of your paper should contain a bibliography of reference materials used for this paper. There are various style formats available for use, including APA, Chicago, etc. Students need only to utilize the suggested style when listing their resource materials.
