We Hold These Truth's to Be Self-Evident … That No Man's Property Shall Be Considered Equal …

John Locke's political beliefs have stood the test of time. Most American's may know realize that when Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence, he used Locke's Second Treatise of Government as inspiration. In fact, the most famous line from this historic document is nearly entirely Locke. And if one were to scratch at the surface of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” 1, one would find the thin veneer of Jeffersonian philosophy disappear leaving nothing but John Locke's libertarian ideals. Today, the differences between Jefferson's interpretation and Locke's original quote may seem vast. Yet, this contrast is merely superficial. Jefferson may have opted to change the word 'property' in Locke's original draft to 'happiness' for the Declaration, but the original underlying meaning was basically left in tact. After all, in his Second Treatise Locke did write that it should be lawful for one to use his personal property to find happiness in his own life: 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 … they are his property, whose workmanship they are, made to last during his, not one another's pleasure: and being furnished with like faculties, sharing all in one community of nature, there cannot be supposed any such subordination among us, that may authorize us to destroy one another, as if we were made for one another's uses, as the inferior ranks of creatures are for our's. 2 The very idea that a person would or even should be allowed to find pleasure in an inanimate object seems completely absurd to most. Still, the irrationality most would see in this concept is nothing more than hypocritical. One may not openly admit that they find happiness in their personal possessions, but the simple truth is that every