The Role of Labor in John Lockes Labor Theory of Property - Essay Example

John Locke (1632-1704) is one of the most influential political philosophers the world has seen, having swayed minds such as Voltaire and the Founding Fathers of the USA. Locke’s seminal ideas have profoundly influenced modern liberalist thinking in particular, with his clear demarcation of the realms of the State and the Church.

The major flaw in Locke’s approach to labor is that in the real world, some people may inherit property, thus being born to ownership and property – the concept of the ‘fruits of labor’ does not arise here. On the other hand, others, often the majority of the population in most societies, may be born into the working class. The inheritor of property often not only owns the property but also the labor of the worker, as well as the product produced by the worker.

Another valid criticism of Locke’s theory concerns his ‘sufficiency’ proviso, where he states that individuals can own property only if there is enough to go around. What happens when, as in the world today with its burgeoning population, there are not enough resources to meet even basic needs and there are huge disparities between the haves and have-nots? Next, Locke seems to imply that only those who work can own property – what of people who are physically or mentally handicapped? Finally. Locke also propagates the idea that those who arrive first to make use of unowned land have not just rights over the land, but also the right to bestow ownership of that land to their children. This concept only serves to perpetuate a class structure and emphasize distinctions between those classes.

John Locke's theories, and in particular his theory of property rights, must be appreciated in the context of the thinker’s political affiliations. Part of his effort was to justify English colonialist policies as he was closely associated with Lord Shaftesbury’s Whig party - in effect Locke seemed to be trying to reconcile unbridled capitalism with the teachings of the Church. While some supporters of Locke's vision praise his communitarian approach to labor, Robert Nozick in his ‘reverse’ theory “criticized this argument with his famous example of mixing tomato juice one rightfully owns with the sea. When we mix what we own with what we do not, why should we think we gain property instead of losing it?” (Tuckness). Modern political thinkers such as Nozick insist on a more secular approach where the issues of property, welfare, and justice must be incorporated into one theory with plainly enumerated priorities.

Conclusion
While it is quite apparent that John Locke was an immensely influential political philosopher of his era and ours, it is equally obvious that his ideas had their limitations, especially in the context of modern society today and its needs. The time has come to move on to finding ways to incorporate Locke’s basic vision with that of social justice.