Personally, I find Locke’s view on the nature of humans to be more persuasive, as it accounts for the existence of the inalienable rights of each person. Having control over one’s own body and certain rights that are inseparable from living in society is a concept that works well in protecting people from being exploited or manipulated through legislation. A focus on promoting the well-being and freedoms of each individual person as a part of a bigger whole seems to be a more humanitarian perspective on living in society. In the present pursuit of a more equitable society, Locke’s view appears to be more appropriate. The man’s view on the property seems to be slightly different from the present understanding of similar matters, but it can be adapted to suit the needs of modern society better.
In the principles of John Locke, each individual should have rights over the benefits their labor produces. If a person works at a factory or an office job, they should be compensated adequately compared to the amount of force they exert. A shift away from the literal property and agriculture towards discussions of labor, to me, feels like a necessary succession of Locke’s ideas. I think freedom is an important part of social life. Freedom allows individuals to pursue life paths that make them happy. In addition, freedom of information and thought helps people to more critically examine the social systems they live under, which is conducive to positive change. However, certain freedoms must be limited in the way they extend to other people in areas such as violence, for example. It is important for government entities to establish control over how people are able to exercise freedom.