Gerard Winstanely's 'Second Treatise Of Government'
Abanoob Abdel-Malak
POLS 301B Final
Professor Saccarelli
16 December 2014
The Meaning of Property
Property, many thoughts rush to an individual’s mind when debating the meaning of property. One must distinguish between the intrinsic value of a right and the overall values of a right taking note inter importance of its intrinsic importance whenever there is any. Regarding intrinsic values The Second Treatise of Government by John Locke shares a relationship among property with equality, political power, and private and public goods. Following Locke, Gerard Winstanley, shares similar and different perceptions on the relationship explaining the role of property with equality, political power, and public and private goods. There is evidence …show more content…
Passages from John Locke on the meaning of political power, as explained power of a magistrate over a subject may be distinguished from that of a father over his children, a master over his servant, a husband over his wife, and a lord over his slave so the body of government needs to be established, but with new reform, government is essential to the human nature. Winstanely believes that land ownership will be abused at some point in time and believes, humans will be safe under the state of nature: “earth was not made purposely for you to be lords of it, and we to be your slaves, servants and beggars; but it was made to be a common livelihood to all” (POPE,99). The statement by Winstanely refers to wanting equality for everyone and not one government or individual to be more prestigious over another. Locke had envisioned the government of the era as monarch, which he believed, was not government nor was suitable for the civil society of that time, but he rather have a set of laws of the people’s decision. Hence, Locke and Winstanely did both evidently agree upon the dismissal of abolishment absolute power of the monarch. Furthermore, Winstanely seems to be naive in the sense that he feels that humans should follow the Ten Commandments from the Bible, but needless to say, this world is not a perfect world so rules will be disregarded (The True Levellers’ Standard Advanced, 85). The individuals who abide and break the commandments are evidently the demons of the “sword” that rise to power, become landlords; and corruption rises once again as with the monarch of 1600’s from the evil of money. On the other hand, Locke believes that power should just not rest in one’s hand; there should be no “absolute” power, but more a group that is elected every so often. The reason Locke feels that there should some sort of establishment of government is that there are thieves and
POLS 301B Final
Professor Saccarelli
16 December 2014
The Meaning of Property
Property, many thoughts rush to an individual’s mind when debating the meaning of property. One must distinguish between the intrinsic value of a right and the overall values of a right taking note inter importance of its intrinsic importance whenever there is any. Regarding intrinsic values The Second Treatise of Government by John Locke shares a relationship among property with equality, political power, and private and public goods. Following Locke, Gerard Winstanley, shares similar and different perceptions on the relationship explaining the role of property with equality, political power, and public and private goods. There is evidence …show more content…
Passages from John Locke on the meaning of political power, as explained power of a magistrate over a subject may be distinguished from that of a father over his children, a master over his servant, a husband over his wife, and a lord over his slave so the body of government needs to be established, but with new reform, government is essential to the human nature. Winstanely believes that land ownership will be abused at some point in time and believes, humans will be safe under the state of nature: “earth was not made purposely for you to be lords of it, and we to be your slaves, servants and beggars; but it was made to be a common livelihood to all” (POPE,99). The statement by Winstanely refers to wanting equality for everyone and not one government or individual to be more prestigious over another. Locke had envisioned the government of the era as monarch, which he believed, was not government nor was suitable for the civil society of that time, but he rather have a set of laws of the people’s decision. Hence, Locke and Winstanely did both evidently agree upon the dismissal of abolishment absolute power of the monarch. Furthermore, Winstanely seems to be naive in the sense that he feels that humans should follow the Ten Commandments from the Bible, but needless to say, this world is not a perfect world so rules will be disregarded (The True Levellers’ Standard Advanced, 85). The individuals who abide and break the commandments are evidently the demons of the “sword” that rise to power, become landlords; and corruption rises once again as with the monarch of 1600’s from the evil of money. On the other hand, Locke believes that power should just not rest in one’s hand; there should be no “absolute” power, but more a group that is elected every so often. The reason Locke feels that there should some sort of establishment of government is that there are thieves and