more from John Locke

Single Idea 12548

[catalogued under 25. Social Practice / C. Rights / 4. Property rights]

Full Idea

Where there is no property there is no injustice, is a proposition as certain as any demonstration in Euclid. For the idea of a property, being a right to any thing, and the idea of injustice being the invasion or violation of that right.

Gist of Idea

It is certain that injustice requires property, since it is a violation of the right to property

Source

John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694], 4.03.18)

Book Reference

Locke,John: 'Essay Concerning Human Understanding', ed/tr. Nidditch,P.H. [OUP 1979], p.549


A Reaction

This is an extraordinarily narrow notion of justice, and one which entirely depends on human convention. Does he not think that rape, for example, is an injustice? How could he label what is wrong with such a crime?