Why was Thomas Jeffersons phrase. “Life, liberty, and the persuit of property” Changed to Happiness?
First, to clarify, Locke’s three-fold expression was simply “life, liberty and property”. But the “change” to “pursuit of happiness” was NOT something Jefferson himself dreamed up. Rather the idea also went back to Locke’s discussion of rights — and the WORDING in the Declaration of Independence was based on the way this was all expressed a month before that document by George Mason. Part of the solution is to clarify what these terms MEANT to Locke and the founding fathers — neither the mention of “property” nor of “happiness” means quite what WE tend to think. By “property,” Locke meant MORE than land and goods that could be sold, given away, or even confiscated by the government under certain circumstances. Property also referred to ownership of one’s self, which included A RIGHT TO PERSONAL WELL BEING. Jefferson, however, substituted the phrase, “pursuit of happiness,” which Locke and others had used to describe FREEDOM OF OPPORTUNITY as well as the duty to help those in want.
