PPOG 503
How Writings of Blackstone Influenced American Political Philosophy
PPOG 503: Political Philosophy
William Blackstone was considered a lawyer and a judge rather than a political
philosopher who was present from 1723 to 1780. Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey in
History of Political Philosophy describe Blackstone as “not original or inventive, but
deliberately in the opposite; and he often treats important and difficult questions in what
seems to be an obscure or superficial way.” He is also compared by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
of having contradictory thoughts on points dealing with political philosophy. His most
important work, Commentaries on the Laws of England, established universal principles of
rights and justice. Furthermore, his writing speaks to “the relation between natural law and
conventional law, as this relation presents itself to one who is a lawyer in the best and
highest degree” (Strauss, Cropsey 1987, 623). The book is broken down into four volumes.
Volumes one and two speak on the Rights of Person and Things, while volumes three and
four speak on Private and Public Wrongs (Strauss, Cropsey 1987, 623). The book offers
logic to common law and was majorly focused by the Founding Fathers in the Declaration
of Independence and the United States Constitution.
In the first volume, Blackstone mentions absolute rights of individuals. His
sentiments of absolute rights of individuals closely resembles John Locke’s belief of life,
liberty, and property. Which resembles Thomas Jefferson’s’ belief of life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness. Throughout his writing, his core beliefs centered around natural law,
which was a gift from God that gave people liberty as individuals. Some rights are
unalienable since it is part of human nature; therefore, the government has the duty to protect
How Writings of Blackstone Influenced American Political Philosophy
PPOG 503: Political Philosophy
William Blackstone was considered a lawyer and a judge rather than a political
philosopher who was present from 1723 to 1780. Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey in
History of Political Philosophy describe Blackstone as “not original or inventive, but
deliberately in the opposite; and he often treats important and difficult questions in what
seems to be an obscure or superficial way.” He is also compared by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
of having contradictory thoughts on points dealing with political philosophy. His most
important work, Commentaries on the Laws of England, established universal principles of
rights and justice. Furthermore, his writing speaks to “the relation between natural law and
conventional law, as this relation presents itself to one who is a lawyer in the best and
highest degree” (Strauss, Cropsey 1987, 623). The book is broken down into four volumes.
Volumes one and two speak on the Rights of Person and Things, while volumes three and
four speak on Private and Public Wrongs (Strauss, Cropsey 1987, 623). The book offers
logic to common law and was majorly focused by the Founding Fathers in the Declaration
of Independence and the United States Constitution.
In the first volume, Blackstone mentions absolute rights of individuals. His
sentiments of absolute rights of individuals closely resembles John Locke’s belief of life,
liberty, and property. Which resembles Thomas Jefferson’s’ belief of life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness. Throughout his writing, his core beliefs centered around natural law,
which was a gift from God that gave people liberty as individuals. Some rights are
unalienable since it is part of human nature; therefore, the government has the duty to protect
