John Locke and the Origins of Private Property: Philosophical Explorations of Individualism, Community, and Equality

by Matthew H. Kramer

• ISBN13: 9780521584128
• ISBN10: 0521584124
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1997-08-28
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

John 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.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii	(4)
List of abbreviations	xi
Part I Introduction	3	(34)
1 A philosophical approach to philosophy	3	(12)
2 Preliminary matters	15	(22)
Part II On equality	37	(56)
3 Equality unlocked	37	(56)
Part III Labor and property	93	(226)
4 The labors of Locke: a critique	93	(58)
5 Once more unto the breach	151	(62)
6 The drawing of consequences	213	(106)
Citational appendix	319	(27)
Index	346