Lockean Property Ethics and Restitution

In this book, David Jarrett argues that the influential Lockean thesis of justice in property, which traces back to John Locke, seems to entail much egalitarian property redistribution.

Put briefly, Lockeans argue that people justly own: (1) any unowned natural resources they labour on, (2) any resources they receive via voluntary transfer from a legitimate owner, and (3) any resources they legitimately receive in compensation for harm done to their person or legitimately held property. However, a question that has been largely overlooked by Lockeans is how to address the problem of property which did not arise in line with Lockean justice. What do we do about property which derives from feudal and colonial conquest, for example? Drawing on a range of theoretical and historical sources, this book argues that the legal concept of restitution is the most reasonable way to address the problem. If we apply this concept, it appears that much property in the world is held unjustly and should be redistributed in an egalitarian manner.

Lockean Property Ethics and Restitution will be of interest to political theorists and philosophers alike.

List of contents

Introduction  1. Lockean property ethics  2. The Lockean law of restitution  3. Alternative approaches to addressing Lockean injustice  4. Unjustly acquired property  5. Redistribution  Conclusion  Appendix: More on Lockean exploitation

About the author

David Jarrett holds a political theory PhD and teaches politics at Queen Mary University of London, UK.

Summary

In this book, David Jarrett argues that the influential Lockean thesis of justice in property, which traces back to John Locke, seems to entail much egalitarian property redistribution.

Product details

• Authors: David Jarrett, Jarrett David
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 20.07.2022
• EAN: 9780367546519
• ISBN: 978-0-367-54651-9
• No. of pages: 152
• Series: Routledge Studies in Social and Political Thought
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; POLITICAL SCIENCE / General, PHILOSOPHY / Political, POLITICAL SCIENCE / History & Theory, Social & political philosophy, Political science & theory, Ethics & moral philosophy, social and political philosophy, Ethics and moral philosophy, Political science and theory, Western philosophy: c 1600 to c 1900, Philosophical traditions and schools of thought, Liberalism & centre democratic ideologies, Centrist democratic ideologies