The Necessity of Private Property Ownership
I came across this fascinating argument from William of Ockham in the deliciously named On The Tyrannical Ascendancy of the Pope (early 1340s):
“But after sin, because among men there grew up avarice and the desire to possess and use temporal things wrongly, it was useful and expedient that temporal things should be appropriated and not all be common, to restrain the immoderate appetite of the wicked for possessing temporal things and to drive out neglect of the proper management and administration of temporal things, since common affairs are commonly neglected by bad men.”
The argument (more extensive than this single quote), is that “temporal things” were held in common pre-Fall (i.e., common ownership), which worked because without sin, property was used wisely and according to need. This of course makes common ownership the state of perfection in a pre-Fall world.
Preventing Sin
Interestingly, private ownership (putting this in modern language) arises as a consequence of the Fall, but not because it is intrinsically sinful, but because it is a necessary way of addressing sin lest the common property be misused (by the greedy) and/or neglected (by freeloaders).
Thus, while private ownership was not a part of the good creation, it is a “good”, after a kind, designed to adapt to the emergence of avarice and neglect.
He obtained the neglect argument from Aristotle’s famous critique of Plato’s common property argument (all the way down to wives and children) for the guardian class in The Republic based on the insight that people do not value, and therefore care for, things which they do not own as much as they do for the things they do own (still one of the best arguments for private property ever advanced).
___
Originally published on Dr Jonathan Cole’s page.
Subscribe to his podcast, The Political Animals, for more insights.
Photo by Zen Chung.
One Comment
Leave A Comment
Recent Articles:
5 August 2026
6.9 MINS
Census night is less than a week away, and the religion question is more confusing than it should be. Here’s exactly how Christians — practising or not — should answer it, and why the ABS’s design deserves scrutiny.
5 August 2026
5.2 MINS
Jesus’ words are not a suggestion, but a call to action for every believer. When we represent Jesus, when His life is formed in us and expressed through us, we become light in a world that still walks in darkness.
5 August 2026
2.3 MINS
What happens when the side arguing 'the West shouldn't be suspicious of Islam' essentially tells their opponents: 'Be nice to us or the mob outside will get you'? An Oxford debate provides the answer.
4 August 2026
5.2 MINS
How do you feel about listening to music that's been made totally through machine learning? Does it matter if you can't tell if it was made by a human or AI? Could the lyrics and emotion still resonate with you? Now, what about AI music made to worship God, or spread the Christian message — does it actually matter?
4 August 2026
5.3 MINS
Alan Ritchson’s faith is sincere yet complicated, blending robust defences of Christianity with controversial political remarks, candid reflections on mental health and an unwavering commitment to family.
4 August 2026
9.1 MINS
Thirty Muslims living in the West have made their intentions crystal clear. They've announced their plans to dominate your country, replace your values, and transform your way of life — all on camera, in their own words. They're not hiding their Islamic agenda. The question is: When will we start believing them?
3 August 2026
4.5 MINS
A former witch looking for spiritual answers in all the wrong places, Christopher Wickland has driven off a cliff, been dead for 15 minutes, and encountered Jesus in the woods. The former occultist turned Pentecostal pastor now carries a burning conviction that England needs to reclaim its Christian identity — an he's not afraid to say so.
The prospect of owning my own home was paramount to me. And so I do . I could never have envisioned the day when the State (et al ) could simply take it .
None the less I do not regret that particular decision because it proves beyond doubt that home ownership is possible regardless of background….unless of course one chooses victim status.