THE BRITISH EMPIRE AND AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES : DISPOSSESSING THE ABORIGINES AND THE THEORY OF PROPERTY RIGHTS IN LAND

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1.American Indians, who were repeatedly referred to in John Locke's "Of Property" chapter, playd the pivotal role in his argument of property rights. I think, however, that the prototype of his theory was American puritans' justifications for dispossessing American indians of their lands. Lockean theory of property rights was invoked when the white tried to justify disposseessing Australian aborigines of land in the ninteeeth century. Yet Locke's Two Treatises were not written as a defense of England's colonial policy, although Barbara Arneil claims so. His theory of property was only influenced by the negative elements of the Western intellectual tradition.2.If we want to understand the modern Western colonialism, we must investigate the discourse of the English on their dispossessing the Irish. We can find out that the discourse was the prototype of the English colonial policy and justification for disposseessing the American indians.3.Colonialism formed in modern Western has given considerable impact on Japanese intellectual life. When we deepen our philosophical knowledge, we are apt to be infected with the side-effects of modern Western intellectualism. We must wipe away the elements of racial discrimination to obtain a univeral and democratic thought.4.We may celebrate the Mabo decision as a great step to eradicate colonialism. The Australian High Court handed down its judgment in Mobo nu Queensland in June 1996, and the judgment established the native title. The judgment, with the identical legal remedies in Canada, has established a democatic tradition in Western intellectualism which is free from racial discrimination.