History Right to property

the arguments advanced levellers during english civil war on property , civil , political rights, such right vote, informed subsequent debates in other countries. levellers emerged political movement in mid 17th century england in aftermath of protestant reformation. believed property had been earned fruit of 1 s labour sacred under bible s commandment thou shall not steal . such believed right acquire property 1 s work sacred. levellers views on right property, , right not deprived of property civil , political right, developed pamphleteer richard overton. in arrow against tyrants (1646) overton argued that:

every individual in nature given individual property nature not invaded or usurped any. everyone, himself , has self propertiety, else not himself; , of no second may presume deprive of without manifest violation , affront principles of nature of rules of equity , justice between man , man. mine , thine cannot be, except this. no man has power on rights , liberties, , on no man.

the views of levellers, enjoyed support amongst small scale property owners , craftsmen, not shared revolutionary parties of english civil war. @ 1647 general council oliver cromwell , henry ireton argued against equating right life right property. argued doing establish right take 1 may want, irrespective of rights of others. leveller thomas rainborough responded, relying on overton s arguments, levellers required respect others natural rights. definition of property, , whether acquired fruit of 1 s labour , such natural right, subject intense debate because property ownership tied right vote. political freedom @ time associated property ownership , individual independence. cromwell , ireton maintained property in freehold land or chartered trading rights gave man right vote. argued type of property ownership constituted take in society , entitles men political power. in contrast levellers argued men not servants, alms recipients or beggars, should considered property owners , given voting rights. believed political freedom secured individuals, such craftsmen, engaging in independent economic activity.

levellers concerned civil , political rights of small scale property owners , workers. in contrast diggers, smaller revolutionary group led gerard winstanley, focused on rights of rural poor worked on landed property. diggers argued private property not consistent justice , land had been confiscated crown , church should turned communal land cultivated poor. according diggers right vote should extended , had right adequate standard of living. when monarchy restored in 1660 confiscated land returned crown , church. property rights recognised , limited voting rights established. ideas of levellers on property , civil , political rights remained influential , advanced in subsequent 1688 glorious revolution. restrictions on right vote based on property meant fraction of british population given right vote. in 1780 214,000 property owning men entitled vote in england , wales, less 3 percent of population (8 million). reform act 1832 restricted right vote men owned property annual value of £10, giving approximately 4 percent of adult male population right vote. reforms of 1867 extended right vote approximately 8 percent. working class, increased dramatically industrial revolution, , industrialists remained excluded political system.

locke, american , french revolutions

john locke s 1689 2 treatises of government, in locke calles lives, liberties , estates property of individuals.

the revolutionary ideas on property , civil , political rights further developed english philosopher john locke (1632–1704). in second treatise on civil government (1689) locke proclaimed everyman has property in person; nobody has right himself. labor of body , work of hand, may say, . argued property ownership derives 1 s labor, though not own property , have labor sell should not given same political power owned property. labourers, small scale property owners , large scale property owners should have civil , political rights in proportion property owned. according locke right property , right life inalienable rights, , duty of state secure these rights individuals. locke argued safeguarding of natural rights, such right property, along separation of powers , other check , balances, curtail political abuses state.

locke s arguments on property , separation of power influenced american revolution , french revolution. entitlement civil , political rights, such right vote, tied question of property in both revolutions. american revolutionaries, such benjamin franklin , thomas jefferson, opposed universal suffrage owned stake in society. james madison argued extending right vote lead in right property , justice being overruled majority without property . while suggested establish right vote men, right vote extended white men owned specified amount of real estate , personal property. french revolutionaries recognised property rights in article 17 of declaration of rights of man , of citizen (1791), stated no 1 may deprived of property rights unless legally established public necessity required , upon condition of , previous indemnity. in article 3 , 6 declared citizens have right contribute or through representatives in political system, , citizens being equal before [the law], equally admissible public offices, positions , employment according capacity, , without other distinction of virtues , talents . in practice french revolutionaries did not extended civil , political rights all, although property qualification required such rights lower established american revolutionaries.

according french revolutionary abbé sieyès inhabitants of country should enjoy right of passive citizen... alone contribute public establishment true shareholders in great social enterprise. alone true active citizens, true members of association . 3 months after declaration had been adopted domestic servants, women , did not pay taxes equal 3 days of labor declared passive citizens . sieyes wanted see rapid expansion of commercial activities , favoured unrestricted accumulation of property. in contrast maximilien robespierre warned free accumulation of wealth ought limited , right property should not permitted violate rights of others, particularly poorer citizens, including working poor , peasants. robespierre s views excluded french constitution of 1793 , property qualification civil , political rights maintained.