The Reluctant Pirate: Godwin, Justice, and Property

In its brief, yet dramatic, moment in time (in Britain in the 1790s), William Godwin's Enquiry Concerning Political Justice enjoyed considerable fame and, indeed, notoriety. While probably best remembered now for its utopian and anarchistic moments, as well as its anticipations of utilitarianism, for a "radical" text Political Justice draws some at first sight puzzlingly conservative political conclusions. In this paper, I explore this apparent conservatism through Godwin's paradoxical views on property, arguing that in the end, and perhaps under the duress of an increasingly polarized political climate, he was unable to reconcile his politics with his philosophy.