back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 19880

[from 'Second Treatise of Government' by John Locke, in 25. Social Practice / B. Equalities / 4. Economic equality ]

Full Idea

It is labour that puts the difference of value on everything. ...Whatever bread is worth more than acorns, wine than water, that is wholly owing to labour and industry.

Gist of Idea

All value depends on the labour involved

Source

John Locke (Second Treatise of Government [1690], 040)

Book Reference

Locke,John: 'Two Treatises of Government' [Everyman 1988], p.136


A Reaction

In capitalism this is nonsense. Supply and demand fix all the values. Locke has slid from labour bestowing ownership to labour bestowing value. No one gets paid on the basis of how hard they work, except on piece rates.