Democracy and Inheritance

The standard academic segregation of 'Political Science' from 'Philosophy' makes it difficult to appreciate the systematic thinking of Locke. Thus, not widely recognized is that corresponding to his better-known Epistemological 'tabula rasa' is a Political one as well. The innate idea that is the specific target of the latter is the 'divine right of kings', which, even in its more secularized manifestation as inherited power, e. g. the British House of Lords, remains antithetical to Democracy. Thus, both Marx's insight that land is part of the means of production, and, therefore, subject to collectivization, and, to a lesser degree, Smith's advocacy of an inheritance tax, are consistent with the Democratic ideal. Similarly, the contemporary resistance to estate taxation in American politics is not.