John Locke, an influential Enlightenment thinker, argued that individuals have a natural right to property. In his work "Second Treatise of Government," Locke posited that in a state of nature, before the establishment of society and government, individuals have the right to acquire and possess property as part of their natural rights. He believed that this right was grounded in the idea that individuals own their own bodies and labor, and by extension, the products of their labor.
Locke's theory of property has several key components:
Labor Theory: He argued that individuals acquire property through their labor. By mixing their labor with natural resources, they make those resources their own.
Limitations: While individuals have the right to acquire property, Locke emphasized that this right is not absolute. There should be enough and as good left in common for others, and individuals should not waste or spoil resources.
Role of Government: Locke believed that the primary role of government is to protect individuals' natural rights, including the right to property. Governments should not interfere with individuals' property rights except to protect those rights and ensure a fair distribution of resources.
Locke's ideas on property laid the groundwork for later thinkers and political movements that emphasized individual rights and the importance of property in a just society.