The Right of Property

The Origin and Development of the Moral Ideas Macmillan and Co., Limited London . Bombay . Calcutta Melbourne the Macmillan Company New York . Boston . Chicago Dallas . San Francisco the Macmillan Co. Of Canada, Ltd. Toronto

The Origin

And Development of the

Moral Ideas by

Edward Westermarck

Ph.D., LL.D. (Aberdeen)

Martin White Professor of Sociology in the University of London

Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Finland, HELSlNGFORS

Author of “the History of Human Marriage” “Marriage Ceremonies in Morocco,” Etc.

In Two Volumes

Vol. II

Second Edition

Macmillan and Co., Limited

St. Martin’s Street, London

1917

Copyright

First Edition 1908

Second Edition 1917

Preface

To the Second Edition of Vol. II

WHILE the text of the first edition has been left almost unchanged, some notes have been added at the end of it.

E. W.

LONDON,
September, 1916.

Chapter XXVIII

The meaning of the term “property,” p. .—Savages accused of thievishness, p. .—Theft condemned by savages, pp. –13.—The condemnation of theft influenced by the value of the goods stolen, pp. –15.—The stealing of objects of a certain kind punished with particular severity, p. .—The appropriation of a small quantity of food not punished at all, p. sq.—Exceptions to the rule that the punishment of theft is influenced by the worth or nature of the appropriated property, p. .—The degree of criminality attached to theft influenced by the place where it is committed, p. sq.—A theft committed by night punished more heavily than one committed by day, p. .—Distinction made between ordinary theft and robbery, p. sq.—Distinction made between manifest and non-manifest theft, p. .—Successful thieves not disapproved of but rather admired, pp. –19.—The moral valuation of theft influenced by the social position of the thief and of the person robbed, p. sq.—Varies according as the victim is a tribesman or fellow-countryman or a stranger, pp. –25.—The treatment of ship-wrecked people in Europe, p. .—The destruction of property held legitimate in warfare, p. sq.—The seizure of private property in war, p. sq.—Military contributions and requisitions levied upon the inhabitants of the hostile territory, p. .—Proprietary incapacities of children, p. sq.—Of women, pp. –31.—Of slaves, pp. –33.—The theory that nobody but the chief or king has proprietary rights, p. .