[51] That property was created by law it is proved by Montesquieu and Bentham. In the Spirit of Laws, Montesquieu argues that civil law is Paladium of property, and as the people acquired by political laws liberty, so they acquired by the civil laws property. [The Spirit of Laws, book XXVI, ch. 15].—In The Principles of Civil Code, by J. Bentham, we find the same idea expressed in these words: “Property is entirely the creature of law.... Property and law are born and must die together. Before the laws, there was no property; take away the laws, all property ceases”. [The Principles of the Civil Code, pt. I, ch. VIII].
[52] Cf. Ch. Letourneau, Property, ch. XIV and XV. See also Aristotle’s Politics, bk. I, ch. VIII.
[53] Cf. F. de Coulange, Cité Antique, English by W. Small, 1901, book II, ch. VIII, p. 120.
[54] What Shall We Do Then, ch. XXI. p. 163.
[55] Cf. Qu’est ce que la Propriété, 1840, English translation by B. Tucker, 1876, First Memoir, ch. I.
[56] What Shall We Do Then, ch. 39. Wiener’s ed. p. 318.
[57] Plato’s view on property is expressed in The Republic, bk. III, IV, V and VIII. Then in The Laws, bk. III, where he speaks of distribution of land and equalizing of property. In the same work, he further on says that property does not belong to the individual but to the whole family, and property and family alike belong to the State, The Laws, b. XI.
[58] “I do not think”, says Aristotle, “that property ought to be common”. [The Politics, bk. VII, ch. 10]. On the other place he argues that there are two things which principally inspire mankind with care and affection, namely, the sense of what is one’s own, and exclusive possession. [The Politics, bk. II, ch. IV]
[59] In aeltester Zeit das Ackerland gemeinschaftlich, wahrscheinlich nach den einzelnen Geschlechtsgenossenschaften bestellt und erst der Ertrag unter die einzelnen dem Geschlecht angehoerigen Haeuser vertheilt ward ... erst spaeter das Land unter die Buerger zu Sondereigenthum aufgetheilt ward. [Roemische Geschichte, 2te Auflage, 1856, bd. I, st. 171-72.]
[60] Tum [zur Zeit des Romulus] erat res in pecore et locorum possessionibus, ex quo pecuniosi et locupletos vocabantur.—[Numa] primum agros, quos bello Romulus ceperat, divisit viritim civibus. [Cited by Mommsen from De Republica, 2, 9, 14.]