Property Rights of Self – Individual Sovereignty

 

Property Rights of Self – Individual Sovereignty

The concept of self-ownership is the idea that each person has exclusive control of their own body, mind and life – in my opinion it is the ultimate property right. It was prevalent in philosophical traditions, especially libertarianism and classical liberalism, in a time frame of the Enlightenment forward. This concept was touched upon by Plato but emphasized self-mastery rather than self-ownership. Self-ownership was historically not prevalent in absolutist monarchies and theocratic states, where individuals were seen as subjects of the ruler or divine authority, not autonomous beings. Self-ownership is a key concept for modern civilization with all forms of human rights being considered.

Serious Exceptions to Self-Ownership

For example, in ancient societies such as Egypt, Greece and Rome and more recent civilizations globally slavery was acceptable. Often slaves were those viewed as “outsiders” of the host civilization, sometimes captured from the opposing side in battle or simply kidnapped. Slavery as it existed in antiquity declined throughout Europe by the Middle Ages, with France and Scandinavia among the first to see it disappear in their domestic territories. 

However, slavery existed in Global Civilization to this day. Modern slavery includes various forms of exploitation where people are coerced, deceived, or forced into situations they cannot escape from:

• Forced labor: People compelled to work under threat or without pay.
• Debt bondage: Workers trapped in endless cycles of debt repayment.
• Sex trafficking: Victims forced into prostitution or sexual exploitation.
• Child slavery: Children used for labor, begging, or armed conflict.
• Forced marriage: Individuals, often women and girls, married against their will

https://www.pulse.ng/articles/lifestyle/countries-that-still-have-slavery-2025040209454943165

As the New World began slavery followed. (The) “First public sale of African slaves in Lagos, Portugal 1482 - Portuguese start building first permanent slave trading post at Elmina, Gold Coast, now Ghana 1510 - First slaves arrive in the Spanish colonies of South America, having travelled via Spain 1518 - First direct shipment of slaves from Africa to the Americas 1777 - State of Vermont, an independent Republic after the American Revolution, becomes first sovereign state to abolish slavery 1780s - Trans-Atlantic slave trade reaches peak 1787.” https://www.reuters.com/article/economy/chronology-who-banned-slavery-when-idUSL15614649/

Bans on slavery were piecemeal. Some of the more important developments were: The UK's 1833 The Slavery Abolition Act, France's 1848 law, US President Lincoln proclaims emancipation of slaves with effect from Jan. 1, 1863; 13th Amendment of U.S. Constitution follows in 1865 banning slavery 1886 and Portugal's 1868 abolition in its colonies, with Spain ending slavery last in its Puerto Rico colony in 1873.  

Feudalism in Europe treated serfs as tied to the land with limited autonomy and no legal recognition of personal sovereignty.

Core Principles of Self-Ownership (with some AI assistance)

• Bodily Autonomy: You have the right to control your own body and make decisions about it without coercion.
• Moral Agency: You are responsible for your actions and choices, and you have the freedom to act according to your own values.
• Property in One’s Person: Your body and labor are considered your property, meaning you own the fruits of your work and decisions.
• Voluntary Exchange: Any interaction—economic, social, or personal—should be based on mutual consent, not force.
• Freedom from External Control: No one else (including governments or other individuals) has the inherent right to dictate how you live your life, unless you infringe on others’ rights.
• Responsibility and Accountability: With ownership comes responsibility—you are accountable for the consequences of your actions. 

John Locke especially in Two Treatises of Government (1689), was a radical reimagining of political authority and personal liberty took the seeds planted by the Magna Carta. Locke cultivated them into a full-blown philosophy of individual rights and self-ownership that would go on to shape modern liberal democracies. 

His key principles are: 

·       Natural Rights: all individuals are born with inherent rights—life, liberty, and property. These weren’t granted by rulers or governments but were intrinsic to human existence. This was a leap beyond the Magna Carta, which only protected certain rights for “free men.”

·       Self-Ownership: Locke wrote that people have “property in their own person,” meaning your body, labor, and choices are yours to control. This was foundational to later ideas about bodily autonomy and personal freedom.

·       Labor Theory of Property: He claimed that when you mix your labor with something in nature (like farming land or crafting goods), it becomes your property. This tied self-ownership directly to economic rights and productivity.

·       Consent of the Governed: Unlike the Magna Carta, which was a forced concession from a monarch, Locke envisioned a government formed by mutual agreement. People consent to be governed in exchange for protection of their rights. If the government fails, they have the right to revolt.

·       Limits on Authority: Locke was clear that no one not even a king could have absolute power over another person. He believed in checks and balances, and that laws must serve the public good, not the whims of rulers. 

A Brief Critique of Locke: 

Thomas Hobbes saw people as selfish, brutish, and driven by fear whereas Locke’s view is that people are rational and cooperative by nature. (https://thehistoryace.com/hobbes-and-locke-3-similarities-and-differences-on-government/) 

Jean Jacques Rousseau believed Locke’s emphasis on property as a natural right was the root of social inequality and argued Locke’s model fosters selfishness and a desire to dominate, rather than honesty and civic virtue. Rousseau saw Locke’s liberalism as insufficient for building a just society—it protects liberty but not equality. https://apeterman.digitalscholar.rochester.edu/phl202f21/jean-jacques-rousseau/jean-jacques-rousseau-john-locke-on-social-contract/)

Related to Rousseau is “Veil of Ignorance” was coined by John Rawls in A Theory of Justice (1971) It’s a thought experiment: Imagine designing a society without knowing your own place in it—your class, race, gender, talents, or social status. The goal is to ensure fairness, because decisions made behind this “veil” would be impartial and just. 

John Stuart Mill believes in freedom unless it harms others, he ties liberty to utility and societal well-being. In other words, maximize happiness for the greatest number (utilitarianism). (Mill, John Stuart. On Liberty Amazon Classics Kindle Edition.)

Karl Marx admired Locke’s notion that labor creates value (the Labor Theory of Value). However, Marx used this to argue against private property, claiming it leads to exploitation and alienation. Locke saw property as a natural right derived from labor. Marx saw this as a justification for capitalist accumulation and inequality. Marx viewed Locke’s philosophy as a foundation for capitalist ideology, which he sought to dismantle. (https://www.researchprospect.com/karl-marxs-critique-of-the-social-contract-theory-of-thomas-hobbes-and-john-locke/)

The Feminist Critique: Locke’s theories largely ignore women’s roles and rights. Critics point out that his social contract assumes a male-centric public sphere and overlooks domestic labor.  Mary Wollstonecraft’s ‘A Vindication of the Rights of Woman’. This pivotal piece, published in 1792, is often seen as the cornerstone of modern feminist theory and a significant force in the evolution of feminism.

In summation there is not a single concept of self-ownership or individual sovereignty, rather there is an evolution of the concept. Jean Jacques Rousseau view is rooted in the belief that freedom is the essence of humanity, and any system that denies it—like slavery or feudalism—is fundamentally illegitimate. As noted, John Locke developed a full-blown philosophy of individual rights and self-ownership that would go on to shape modern liberal democracies.

 Philosophical Foundations of Government

Comparing Locke, Hobbes, Rousseau, and Marx

 

Theme	John Locke	Thomas Hobbes	Jean-Jacques Rousseau	Karl Marx
Human Nature	Rational, cooperative, born equal	Selfish, brutish, competitive	Innocent but corrupted by society	Shaped by material conditions
State of Nature	Peaceful, governed by reason	Chaotic, violent, "war of all"	Peaceful, egalitarian, later corrupted	Classless, but exploited under capitalism
Social Contract	Protects natural rights (life, liberty, property)	Ensures security via absolute rule	Preserves freedom via general will	Abolishes class through revolution
Ideal Government	Representative democracy	Absolute monarchy	Direct democracy (small states)	Stateless, classless communism
View on Property	Natural right tied to labor	Controlled by sovereign	Source of inequality and conflict	Tool of exploitation by bourgeoisie
Role of Government	Protect rights and property	Maintain order and prevent chaos	Express general will, promote equality	Eliminate private property and class
Liberty vs. Equality	Prioritizes liberty	Sacrifices liberty for security	Prioritize equality over liberty	Seeks both through class abolition
Rebellion Justified?	Yes, if rights are violated	No, rebellion leads to anarchy	Yes, if general will is ignored	Yes, to overthrow capitalist system
Education's Role	Promotes rational citizenship	Reinforces authority of sovereign	Cultivates civic virtue and empathy	Raises class consciousness

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(AI Generated, Copilot)

These ideas will help develop principles that are the rationale for government and the rights of those governed. One of the most important developements was The United States Declaration of Independance in 1776. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers..."

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/downloads