The Two Treatises of Government and the Legacy of John Locke

It is not a question of how much land one owns, but if they own land at all. If a person owns a flat (apartment) in London or New York, then they own property, not in a classic sense, but they fit the modern definition.

 

Locke was indeed an influence, but there were others. Most of Jefferson's ideals can be directly to Bolingbrokism, and the writings in a pamphlet called The Craftsman, according to the historian Forrest MacDonald, published in the early 18th Century. It was largely a pamphlet opposed to 'The Glorious Revolution' and 'Walpolism', iirc. I think that took place around the time Locke was writing, but I could be wrong, and I'm too lazy to Google it up at the moment.

Interesting thread, by the way.

 

Walpole the "fat old squire of Norfolk" was the most powerful man in Britain at the time and he established the Whig dominance that would ensue through the 18th century. Henry St. John (Bolingbroke) was critical of the Walpole's bribes to gain favour in government. The political exchanges between Bolingbroke and Walpole took place in the early 18th century after Locke's death. Locke was not influential in Britain after his death, but republicanism was still gaining favour sadly.