1. John Locke

2. Spectrum of Ideologies2

3. John Locke Humans therefore invented government Purpose of government:
Protect liberty (freedom)
Protect private property
Capitalism is ethical on rights grounds
Based on liberty and private property
Government regulation unethical
Infringes on liberty and private property 3

4. John Locke (1632–1704) Rights perspective
Humans have “natural rights”:
Liberty (freedom)
Private property
Why? Without government, humans would be in a “state of nature”
Freedom: Free of all human-made laws
Property: Resources combined with work
Common fear: theft of freedom or property 4

5. I. Historical Background
John Locke (1632 – 1704)
Enters Oxford in 1651
Studies philosophy, natural history, medicine
Becomes physician and advisor to First Earl of Shaftesbury (big Whig politician)
Reign of Charles II, Charles dies in 1685

6. I. Historical Background
Line of succession issue (Catholic vs. Protestant)
Locke – through Shaftesbury – gets implicated in plot to assassinate James
Leaves England for Holland in 1683
Begins to write anonymous political pamphlets, including the Two Treatises on Government (1689)

7. I. Historical Background
1688 “Glorious Revolution” in England
Replace the Catholic line from James with William and Mary (both Protestant)
Locke was an advisor to William while the two of them were in Holland together
In exchange for throne, William & Mary agreed to a more limited, constitutional monarchy
Signed “Toleration Act” which allowed for religious toleration for most faiths (except Catholicism and Unitarianism)

8. I. Historical Background
Locke lives out his days on government pension

9. Locke’s Influence US Declaration of Independence (1776)
“We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness—That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government….” 9

10. Locke’s Influence
United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
“…the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world….” 10

11. Critics of John Locke
Are the liberty and property rights of the buyer and seller the only relevant rights?
Example: cigarettes
If there are rights at stake in addition to the liberty and property rights of the buyer and seller, then government regulation might be justified to protect all the relevant rights. 11

12. Some Noteworthy Philosophers
Adam Smith
John Locke
Herbert Spencer
John Maynard Keynes
Karl Marx 12

13. Adam Smith (1723–1790) 1776: “The Wealth of Nations”
Why do some societies do better than others?
Not because of access to natural resources
Not because of exporting more than importing (Mercantilism)
Answer: Capitalism
Utilitarian perspective 13

14. Adam Smith Capitalism is ethical on utilitarian grounds
Private property and unregulated free markets produce the greatest net social benefits of any socioeconomic system: laissez-faire
Limited role of government:
Protect private property
Enforce contracts
Therefore, government regulation of business is unethical on utilitarian grounds 14