People acquire a right to property by giving it value…
““People acquire a right to property by giving it value - which Locke makes very clear means exchange value. This had vast implications not only for the domestic practice of enclosure but also for the dispossession of indigenous peoples in colonial territories - and on that score, Locke was quite explicit. [...] The measure of labour is not effort but profitability. We can, then, easily deduce that the Indian has failed to establish his right to the land, which becomes fair game to more 'industrious' and 'rational' colonists. Unimproved land is waste, and a man who appropriates it to himself in order to improve it has, by increasing its value, given something to humanity, not taken it away.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Locke’s view ties property rights to value creation, justifying colonial dispossession of lands deemed unproductive, favoring “rational” colonists.
In simple terms: Property linked to value, justifying takeover of “unimproved” land.
Key Takeaway
Critically assess historic property concepts.
Themes
colonialism
philosophy
property
economics
history
Mood
critical
historical
Type
Capitalism:0
Fair game:0
Locke:1
Native american:0
Indigenous Peoples:1
Establish Right:0
Giving Value:0
Property Giving:0
Value Locke:0
Rational Colonists:0
When to use this quote
- land reform debates
- historical analysis
- educational curricula
- policy discussions
Key Concepts
property rights
labor theory
colonial dispossession
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we reconcile historic theories with present justice?
- What alternative property models exist?
A Different Perspective
Modern ethics challenge these ideas.