The Political Theory of Possessive Individualism: Hobbes to Locke

322 Pages·1964·6.856 MB·English

by  C. B. Macpherson

THE
POLITICAL THEORY
OF POSSESSIVE
INDIVIDUALISM
H obbetsoL ocke
BY
C.B .M ACPHERSON
OxforNde w York
OXFORD UNIVERSITYP RESS
THE
POLITICAL THEORY
OF POSSESSIVE
INDIVIDUALISM
H obbetsoL ocke
BY
C.B .M ACPHERSON
OxforNde w York
OXFORD UNIVERSITYP RESS
OxforUdn iversPirteys sW,a ltoSnt reeOtx,f orodx 2 6DP
OxforNde w YorkT oronto
DelhiB ombayC alcutMtaad rasK arachi
PetaliJnagy aS ingapoHroen gK ong Tokyo
NairobDia re sS alaamC apeT own
MelbournAeu ckland
anda ssociactoemdp aniiens
BerliInb adan FOR
Oxforids a tradmea rko fO xforUdn iversPirteys s SUSA N
ISBN0 -19-881084-9 STEPH EN
© OxforUdn iversPirteys1 s9 62 SHEI LA
First publbiyst hheeC dl arendPorne s1s9 62
Firsits sueadsa nO xforUdn iversPirteysp sa perba1c9k 64
Thirteenth imp1r9e9s0s ion
Allr ighrtess ervNeod .p arotf t hipsu blicatmiaoynb e r eproduced,
storeidna retriesvyaslt eomr,t ransmititnea dn,yf ormo r.bayn ym eans,
electromneicch,a nicpahlo,t ocopyriencgo,r dionrgo ,t herwiwsiet,h out
thep riopre rmissoifoO nx forUdn iversPirteys s
Thibso oki ss olsdu bjetcott hec ondititohnai tts halnlo tb,y way
oft radoer o therwibseel ,e ntr,e -sohlidr,e odu to ro therwicsier culated
withotuhte p ublishperri'oscr o nseinnta nyf ormo fb indinorgc over
othetrh ant haitn w hichi ti sp ublishaenddw ithoau ts imilcaorn dition
includtihnigcs o nditiboeni nigm poseodn thes ubseifupeunrtc haser
PrintiendH ongK ong
OxforUdn iversPirteys sW,a ltoSnt reeOtx,f orodx 2 6DP
OxforNde w YorkT oronto
DelhiB ombayC alcutMtaad rasK arachi
PetaliJnagy aS ingapoHroen gK ong Tokyo
NairobDia re sS alaamC apeT own
MelbournAeu ckland
anda ssociactoemdp aniiens
BerliInb adan FOR
Oxforids a tradmea rko fO xforUdn iversPirteys s SUSA N
ISBN0 -19-881084-9 STEPH EN
© OxforUdn iversPirteys1 s9 62 SHEI LA
First publbiyst hheeC dl arendPorne s1s9 62
Firsits sueadsa nO xforUdn iversPirteysp sa perba1c9k 64
Thirteenth imp1r9e9s0s ion
Allr ighrtess ervNeod .p arotf t hipsu blicatmiaoynb e r eproduced,
storeidna retriesvyaslt eomr,t ransmititnea dn,yf ormo r.bayn ym eans,
electromneicch,a nicpahlo,t ocopyriencgo,r dionrgo ,t herwiwsiet,h out
thep riopre rmissoifoO nx forUdn iversPirteys s
Thibso oki ss olsdu bjetcott hec ondititohnai tts halnlo tb,y way
oft radoer o therwibseel ,e ntr,e -sohlidr,e odu to ro therwicsier culated
withotuhte p ublishperri'oscr o nseinnta nyf ormo fb indinorgc over
othetrh ant haitn w hichi ti sp ublishaenddw ithoau ts imilcaorn dition
includtihnigcs o nditiboeni nigm poseodn thes ubseifupeunrtc haser
PrintiendH ongK ong
PREFACE
SoME timea goI suggesttehda Etn glispho lititchaolu ght
fromt hes eventeetnott hh en ineteenctehn turiheasd a n
underlyuinnigt y whdiecshe rvneodt icIec .a lltehdeu nifying
assumpti'opno ssessiinvdei vidualainsdms 'u ggesttehda t
centrdailffi cultoifel si beral-demotchroautgihct from John
StuarMti ltlo t hep resemnitg hbt eb ettuenrd erstoioftd h ey
weres eetno h aveb eens etb yt hep ersistaenndcd ee ep-root­
ednesosft haats sumptioTnh.e1n otioonfp ossessiinvdei vi­
dualispmr omiseadls too y ielad f resuhn derstandoiftn hge
mains eventeenth-cpeonltiutriytc haelo riienss ,o mec ases
resolvuinnsge ttplreodb leomfst heimre aning.
Thep resewnotr kw,h icphu rsutehsa ptr omishea,sg rown
ovesre veryaela rTsh.e s tudoyf L ockee stablisIhh eosp,e a,
readionfgh ist heoroyfp roperrtiyg hwth icah ltetrhseg ene­
ravli ewo fh isp olititchaelo rPya.r tosft hastt udyw,h icwha s
thef irtsotb ed onew,e rep ublishiendt woa rticleIs 9i nS r
and I9 4S· I haven otf oundi tn ecessatroya lteorr add
substantitaolw lhya t tIh ens aidt,h ough haIv ea dded
referentcoes so mes ubsequewnotr ko n LockeT.h e study
ofH obbess uggestthsa ptr evalterneta tmeonfth si sp olitical
theorlye avae g oodd ealt ob eu nderstoaondd,o ffersa n
alternaitnitveer pretaTthieos nt.u doyf L evelltehre oruyn ­
dertakesc ortroe ac stu bstanteirvreoi rn the statnrdeaartd­
mentsa,n de xplortehsei mplicatoifot nhsep ossessaisvpee ct
oft heinro tioonff reedomT.h es tudoyf H arringtsoene ktso
disengahgiest heorfyr omt hec ontroveorvseyrt heg entry
andt os howt haitti sb ettuenrd erstoaoshd a ving bourgeois
rootIsn.t erncaolnt radicteisopnesc,i ainlL loyc kea'nsd H ar­
ringtont'hse oriwehsi,c hh ad hithegrotnoeu nnoticed or
beent oo easily dismibseseened x,a mhianveaedn du sed as
cluetso t het hinkeirm'psl icaists umptiosnost ;r eatetdh,e
I CambrJiodugrneva ilis,.6 o(-J8u ne 1954)·
PREFACE
SoME timea goI suggesttehda Etn glispho lititchaolu ght
fromt hes eventeetnott hh en ineteenctehn turiheasd a n
underlyuinnigt y whdiecshe rvneodt icIec .a lltehdeu nifying
assumpti'opno ssessiinvdei vidualainsdms 'u ggesttehda t
centrdailffi cultoifel si beral-demotchroautgihct from John
StuarMti ltlo t hep resemnitg hbt eb ettuenrd erstoioftd h ey
weres eetno h aveb eens etb yt hep ersistaenndcd ee ep-root­
ednesosft haats sumptioTnh.e1n otioonfp ossessiinvdei vi­
dualispmr omiseadls too y ielad f resuhn derstandoiftn hge
mains eventeenth-cpeonltiutriytc haelo riienss ,o mec ases
resolvuinnsge ttplreodb leomfst heimre aning.
Thep resewnotr kw,h icphu rsutehsa ptr omishea,sg rown
ovesre veryaela rTsh.e s tudoyf L ockee stablisIhh eosp,e a,
readionfgh ist heoroyfp roperrtiyg hwth icah ltetrhseg ene­
ravli ewo fh isp olititchaelo rPya.r tosft hastt udyw,h icwha s
thef irtsotb ed onew,e rep ublishiendt woa rticleIs 9i nS r
and I9 4S· I haven otf oundi tn ecessatroya lteorr add
substantitaolw lhya t tIh ens aidt,h ough haIv ea dded
referentcoes so mes ubsequewnotr ko n LockeT.h e study
ofH obbess uggestthsa ptr evalterneta tmeonfth si sp olitical
theorlye avae g oodd ealt ob eu nderstoaondd,o ffersa n
alternaitnitveer pretaTthieos nt.u doyf L evelltehre oruyn ­
dertakesc ortroe ac stu bstanteirvreoi rn the statnrdeaartd­
mentsa,n de xplortehsei mplicatoifot nhsep ossessaisvpee ct
oft heinro tioonff reedomT.h es tudoyf H arringtsoene ktso
disengahgiest heorfyr omt hec ontroveorvseyrt heg entry
andt os howt haitti sb ettuenrd erstoaoshd a ving bourgeois
rootIsn.t erncaolnt radicteisopnesc,i ainlL loyc kea'nsd H ar­
ringtont'hse oriwehsi,c hh ad hithegrotnoeu nnoticed or
beent oo easily dismibseseened x,a mhianveaedn du sed as
cluetso t het hinkeirm'psl icaists umptiosnost ;r eatetdh,e
I CambrJiodugrneva ilis,.6 o(-J8u ne 1954)·
VI PREFACE
contradicptoiionntste oda fulluenrd erstanodfit nhgew hole
theory.
CONTENTS
Eachs tudtyh usc ontribuIth eosp,e t,o a morea dequate,
ands omeo ft hemt oa m orea ccurautned,e rstanodfis negv en­
teenth-cenEtnugrlyi psohl ititchaoulg hTto.g ethtehre mya y I.I NTRODUCTION I
bet houghttoe stabltihseuh s efulnoefts hse n otioonfp osses­ I. TheR ootosf L iberal-DemoTchreaotriyc I
sivien dividuaalsia s cme ntraasls umptioofln i berpaoll itical z. ProblemosfI ntereptration
theory.
Western Il.H OBBES: THE POLITICAL OBLIGATION OF
Acknowledgemiesnm ta det ot hee ditoorfst he
PolitQiucaarltf eorrp elrym isstioou ns em aterifiarls ptu b­ THE MARKET 9
lisheindi tpsa geass t wo arti'cLloecsk,oe n CapitalAips­t I.P hilosoapnhdyP olitiTchaelo ry 9
propriatiDoenc'e,m beIr9 5 I ,a nd' TheS ociaBle arinogf 2.H umanN aturaen dt heS tatoefN ature 17
Locke'Pso litiTchaelo ryM'a,r chI 9 5 4;an dt ot hee ditoorfs (i )A bstractfiroonmS ociety I7
Pas&t P resfeorn petr misstiooun s et hem aterioanl H ar­ (iiT)h eS tatoefN ature 19
ringtownh,i cha ppeariend iAtpsr iIl9 60i ssue. (iiFir)o mP hysiologtioSc oacli Maolt ion 29
Frienadnsd c olleagwuietshw hom Ih aved iscusmsoesdt 3.M odelosf S ociety: 46
oft hei deahse re presheanvteesda vemde froms omee nt hu si­ (iT) heU se ofM odels 46
asmsT.h eyw ilnlo tw isht ob et hankesdp ecfiicalsloym:e (iiC)u stomaroyrS tatus Society 49
oft hemh aveb eenm oreh elpftuhla tnh ekyn ow.S oh avem y (iiSii)m plMea rkeSto ciety SI
studenwthso, havem adem e awareo fs omed ifficultiine s (ivP)o ssessMiavrek et Society 53
thes ubject-maantdte enrc ouragmeed t ot hink tchoeuyl bde (v)H obbeas ndt hePo ssessMiovdee l 6!
overcome. (viT)h e Inadequoafct yh eS tatoefN ature 68
Thep athosfs cholarashriespm ootheidnc lieffr ent fashions 4·P olitiOcballi gation
inc liff ecreennttu r:iI em sayb ep ermitdtt eor ecomrydt hanks (iF)r omM otivatitooO nb ligation
tot heN uffieldF oundatitohne,C anada Counacnidlm ,y (iiM)o ralo rP rudential Obligation?
ownu niverswihtoyh ,a veb eenp leasteodt hinmky studies (iiTih)e P ostuloaftE eq uality
somethianngd,o therwitsooe b ligmee with rteeaslt imonies (ivM)o ralitSyc,i encaen,dt heM arket
oft heigro odo pinion. (v)T heP resumptoifoO nb ligatfiroonmF act
C. B.M AC PHERSON S·P enetratainodLn i mitosf HobbPeosl'ist iTchaelo ry
UniveorfTs oirtoyn to
(iH)i storPircearle quiosfit theeDs e duction
'Jun3e0, I9 61
(iiT)h eS elf-perpetuating Sovereign
(iiCio)n gruenocfSe o vereiganntdMy a rkeSto ciety 95
(ivS)o meO bjectiRoencso nsidered roo
Ill.T HE LEVELLERS: FRANCHISE AND FREEDOM 107
I. TheP robleomf t heF ranchise 107
2.T ypeso fF ranchise I I I
VI PREFACE
contradicptoiionntste oda fulluenrd erstanodfit nhgew hole
theory.
CONTENTS
Eachs tudtyh usc ontribuIth eosp,e t,o a morea dequate,
ands omeo ft hemt oa m orea ccurautned,e rstanodfis negv en­
teenth-cenEtnugrlyi psohl ititchaoulg hTto.g ethtehre mya y I.I NTRODUCTION I
bet houghttoe stabltihseuh s efulnoefts hse n otioonfp osses­ I. TheR ootosf L iberal-DemoTchreaotriyc I
sivien dividuaalsia s cme ntraasls umptioofln i berpaoll itical z. ProblemosfI ntereptration
theory.
Western Il.H OBBES: THE POLITICAL OBLIGATION OF
Acknowledgemiesnm ta det ot hee ditoorfst he
PolitQiucaarltf eorrp elrym isstioou ns em aterifiarls ptu b­ THE MARKET 9
lisheindi tpsa geass t wo arti'cLloecsk,oe n CapitalAips­t I.P hilosoapnhdyP olitiTchaelo ry 9
propriatiDoenc'e,m beIr9 5 I ,a nd' TheS ociaBle arinogf 2.H umanN aturaen dt heS tatoefN ature 17
Locke'Pso litiTchaelo ryM'a,r chI 9 5 4;an dt ot hee ditoorfs (i )A bstractfiroonmS ociety I7
Pas&t P resfeorn petr misstiooun s et hem aterioanl H ar­ (iiT)h eS tatoefN ature 19
ringtownh,i cha ppeariend iAtpsr iIl9 60i ssue. (iiFir)o mP hysiologtioSc oacli Maolt ion 29
Frienadnsd c olleagwuietshw hom Ih aved iscusmsoesdt 3.M odelosf S ociety: 46
oft hei deahse re presheanvteesda vemde froms omee nt hu si­ (iT) heU se ofM odels 46
asmsT.h eyw ilnlo tw isht ob et hankesdp ecfiicalsloym:e (iiC)u stomaroyrS tatus Society 49
oft hemh aveb eenm oreh elpftuhla tnh ekyn ow.S oh avem y (iiSii)m plMea rkeSto ciety SI
studenwthso, havem adem e awareo fs omed ifficultiine s (ivP)o ssessMiavrek et Society 53
thes ubject-maantdte enrc ouragmeed t ot hink tchoeuyl bde (v)H obbeas ndt hePo ssessMiovdee l 6!
overcome. (viT)h e Inadequoafct yh eS tatoefN ature 68
Thep athosfs cholarashriespm ootheidnc lieffr ent fashions 4·P olitiOcballi gation
inc liff ecreennttu r:iI em sayb ep ermitdtt eor ecomrydt hanks (iF)r omM otivatitooO nb ligation
tot heN uffieldF oundatitohne,C anada Counacnidlm ,y (iiM)o ralo rP rudential Obligation?
ownu niverswihtoyh ,a veb eenp leasteodt hinmky studies (iiTih)e P ostuloaftE eq uality
somethianngd,o therwitsooe b ligmee with rteeaslt imonies (ivM)o ralitSyc,i encaen,dt heM arket
oft heigro odo pinion. (v)T heP resumptoifoO nb ligatfiroonmF act
C. B.M AC PHERSON S·P enetratainodLn i mitosf HobbPeosl'ist iTchaelo ry
UniveorfTs oirtoyn to
(iH)i storPircearle quiosfit theeDs e duction
'Jun3e0, I9 61
(iiT)h eS elf-perpetuating Sovereign
(iiCio)n gruenocfSe o vereiganntdMy a rkeSto ciety 95
(ivS)o meO bjectiRoencso nsidered roo
Ill.T HE LEVELLERS: FRANCHISE AND FREEDOM 107
I. TheP robleomf t heF ranchise 107
2.T ypeso fF ranchise I I I
Vlll CONTENTS CONTENTS
3.T heR ecord 117 5.T heA mbiguous Civil Society 247
(iT)h eC hronology II 7 6.U nsettPlreodb lems Reconsidered 2 5 I
(iiP)u tneayn dA fter I2 o (�T heJ oint-sTthoecokr y 25 I
(iiBie)f ore Putney I29 (iiM)a joriRtuyl ev .P roperRtiyg ht 25 2
(ivS)u mming-up I3 6 (iiTih)e E quatioofIn n dividaunadMl a joriCtoyn sent 25 2
4·T heoretIimcpalli cations I3 7 (ivI)n dividuavl.Ci oslml ectivism 255
(i) The PrionOp neer'tPsye rson 137 (v)L ockeC'osn stitutionalism 25 7
(iiT)h eD eductioofRn i ghatnsd t heG roundfso Erx clusIio4n2
VI.P.O SSESSIVE INDIVIDUALISM AND LIBERAL
(iiLie)v ellaenrdsI 'n dependeInntdsi'v idualism I48
DEM OCRACY 263
(ivL)i miatsn dD irectoifo nt Lheev ellIenrdsi'v idualiIs5 m4
I.T heS eventeenth-FCoeunntduartyi ons 263
IV.H ARRINGTON: THE OPPORTUNITY STATE r6o 2.T heT wentieth-CeDnitluermym a 27I
I.U nexaimneAdm biguities r6o
APPENDIX
2.T heB alanacned t hGee ntry r62
SociCalla ssaensdF ranchCilsaes sienEs n glancdi,r cra6 48 279
3·T heB ourgeSooicsi ety 174
4·T heE quaClo mmonwealatnhdt he Equal Agrarian1 82 NOTES
S·T heS elf-CancBealllainnPcgre i nciple 188
WORKS AND EDITIONS CITED 302
6.H arringtSotna'tsu re 191
INDEX
V. LOCKE: THE POLITICAL THEORY OF
APPROPRIATION
I. Interpretations I9 4
2.T heT heoroyf P roperRtiyg ht I97
(iL)o ckeP'usr pose I97
(iiT)h eI nitLiiamli tReidg ht I99
(iiTih)e L imiattioTnrsa nscended 203
()
a Thes poillaigmeai ttion 204
(bT)h es ufficielnicmyi tation 2t I
(cT)h es upposleadb oluirm itation 2q .
(ivL)o ckeA'csh ievement 220
3·C lasDsi fferentiinNa altsu rRailg htasn dR ationality 221
(iL)o ckeA'sss umptiooftn h Dei fferentiSaelvse nitne enth-
CenturEyn gland 2 2 2
(iiD)i fferenRtiigahlta sn dR ationaGleinteyr alized
(aD)i fferential rights
(bD)i fferenrtaitailo nality
+·T heA mbiguous oSftN aatteu re