Reply #13: important distinction: [View All]

[mb7588a]

Locke didn't say "pursuit of happiness," he said property.

Locke is all about leaving the state of nature and finding a way to protect/preserve/grow hislife, liberty, and property/estate.

Much of his work was on property rights, but what your daughter wants to focus on is the questino of what impact those three things have on the motive for joining a political society from a state of nature.

It's also important to note that many scholars don't credit Locke with being the sole inspiration for the Declaration. Spinoza, Montesquieu and other enlightenment thinkers had quite a bit of influence as well. The idea of joining a society to protect your life, and property is not unique to Locke. Whoever assigned this question is asking for your daughter to really dig deep into the enlightenment. Unfortunatley it is not as if Jefferson sat down with the Second Treatise on Government and copied it verbatim.

Let me guess? First assignment of high school political science?