Property and justice : a critical and historical study of Locke's liberalism.

Shimokawa, Kiyoshi (1985) Property and justice : a critical and historical study of Locke's liberalism. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This dissertation attempts to provide a scholarly interpretation of Locke's political theory, the interpretation which reveals him as a classical liberal who defended property and justice. The major task of this dissertation is to elaborate this interpretation, and defend it against all major alternative interpretations. This task is performed in the Introduction, Chapter 1, and Chapter 2. The interpretation I offer is based on Locke's texts, and the writings of his 17th-century predecessors and 18th-century successors. Appendix 1 criticizes Peter Laslett' s "historical" approach to the Two Treatises. Appendix 2 criticizes a "philosophical" approach to Locke's political theory. I shall reject those approaches, and show the overall soundness of my approach to Locke's political theory.
A subsidiary task of this dissertation is to criticize Locke's liberal political theory. Chapter 3 criticizes the concept of property which he uses in his political theory, by offering a detailed analysis. Chapter 4 criticizes his political theory by showing how it disintegrates with the erosion of its basis, i. e., a myth of appropriation. However, the present study is not intended to offer a full-scale critique of Locke's theory. It merely shows how his theory can be criticized on the basis of the interpretation provided in this dissertation. The major purpose of the present work is to understand Locke rather than criticize him. A systematic critique of his liberalism would have to take into account the whole classical-liberal tradition which developed after Locke. Such a task goes far beyond the scope of this dissertation.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: J Political Science > JC Political theory
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Philosophy
• Supervisor's Name: Downie, Professor Robin
• Date of Award: 1985
• Depositing User: Adam Swann
• Unique ID: glathesis:1985-30639
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 11 Jun 2018 13:13
• Last Modified: 11 Jun 2018 13:13
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/30639