Comparing and Contrasting John Locke and Karl Marx

Two of the most noted and influential modern political thinkers are John Locke and Karl Marx. John Locke was an english philosopher who was famous for his use of empiricism and his social contract theories. Karl Marx was a German political thinker who was famous for his theories regarding class struggle and is well known as the father of communism. These two thinkers had many conflicting ideas and philosophies. One topic that they had divergent views on was whether private property was a natural right or not.

John Locke that that private property was a natural right, and one of the most important ones at that. One of Locke's most famous quotes is that all men have the right to "life, liberty and property." Locke discusses his theories of property in his Second Treatise of Government. Locke believes that god gave man the earth to hold in common, but when a man adds his labor to the earth it becomes his private property. When a man plows a field than the field becomes his, as well as the fruits of that land. Whatever man adds his labor to becomes private property for their exclusive use.

In Locke's eyes the main purpose of the government is too protect individuals private property. In a state of nature there is no way for each individual to ensure that their property remains safe from every one else. Once conflict over private property starts to occur the people come together and use to their reason to draft a social contract that will protect their property. Locke also says that before the introduction of private property men live in an egalitarian state of nature, but with the introduction of private property it caused a hierarchy to form. it is because of private property that men are forced to form a contract amongst themselves and craft a government. (http://www.philosophypages.com/hy/4n.htm)