"Every man has a property in his own person; he has the right to preserve his property, that is, his life, liberty, and estate" is said by:

Correct option is C

The correct answer is: (c) Locke.

Explanation:

The statement, particularly the core idea that "Every man has a property in his own person; he has the right to preserve his property, that is, his life, liberty, and estate," is central to the political philosophy of John Locke (1632–1704).

• Source: This concept is a cornerstone of his major work, Two Treatises of Government (specifically the Second Treatise).
• Core Idea: Locke argued that individuals possess natural rights that exist prior to and independent of government. He defines Property in the broadest sense to include not just material possessions (estate) but the most fundamental human rights: Life, Liberty, and Estate.
• Government's Role: For Locke, the primary purpose of forming a civil society and government is the "preservation of their Property."

This philosophy was highly influential, serving as a basis for modern liberal thought and directly influencing the drafting of documents like the American Declaration of Independence.

Information Booster: Locke's Theory of Property

Locke's theory of property is one of the most significant contributions to political theory:

• Labor Theory of Value (Property): Locke argued that a person's labor is their unquestionable property. When they mix their labor with something unowned in nature (like tilling land or picking fruit), that object becomes their private property. This mixing is what creates a right to the estate.
• The Provisos: Locke imposed certain limitations on the acquisition of property in the state of nature:
1. Sufficiency Clause: There must be "enough, and as good, left in common for others."
2. Spoilage Clause: A person should only take as much as they can use before it spoils.
• Influence: Locke's ideas on natural rights were later adapted by Thomas Jefferson, who famously replaced "estate" with the "pursuit of Happiness" in the 1776 American Declaration of Independence.

Additional Knowledge: The Other Philosophers

The remaining options are key figures in political and legal thought but are known for different core doctrines: