The action of trade is so heavily integrated into today’s modern society that it is hard to believe a time where trade did not exist. In can be found in the preliminary stages of North American culture where the natives would trade with one another before the creation of currency, to a more modern level where society trades their labour to create a product or service in exchange for a wage. The discussion of private property is one covered by many different scholars throughout the years; this essay will focus primarily on the workings of John Locke and Karl Marx. Both being raised in a different time, thus different upbringings have resulted in a difference in their train of thought and philosophical approaches on life. Karl Marx has been forced …show more content…
Locke has said “The earth, and all that is therein, is given to men for the support and comfort of their being. And tho’ all the fruits it naturally produces, and beasts it feeds, belong to mankind in common, as they are produced by the spontaneous hand of nature.”(18 stog). That the world and all that has been given to mankind stems from the creator, thus each individual in society has an equal share of the goods the earth provides. Under the law of subsistence; supporting oneself at a minimum level, humankind has the licence to take what is needed for survival, removing the need for general consent and protection of one’s goods. For Locke each individual is perfectly equal with one another, and as long as greed does not come into play society holds no need government for governmental control. “The same law of nature, that does by this means give us property, does also bound that property.... As much as anyone can make use of to any advantage of life before it spoils, so much he may by his labour fix a property in: whatever is beyond this is more than his share, and belongs to others. Nothing was made by God for man to spoil or destroy” (31 stog). For Karl …show more content…
John Locke; born August 29th, 1632 and died October 28th 1704, was known as the father of classical liberalism and holds a heavy influence regarding various capitalist thinkers including the four fathers of the United States of America. In section 6 of his writings of The Second Treatise of Government, Locke had stated; “The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges every one: and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions: for men being all the workmanship of one omnipotent, and infinitely wise maker.” (6 stog). Under this quote it is easy to see that Locke found much more important to property, thus the need for governmental law to protect it. In Locke’s eyes, no matter members of society are forced to bear under a form of government, that the main purpose of the government should be to protect the basic human functions in one's natural state, one being the ability to obtain private property. Through private property an introduction of a hierarchical power is formed, and thus forming a contract amongst themselves resulting in a craft a government. An example of the protection of private property in the government can be seen in the Fourth Amendment of the American Bill of Rights