Thomas Spence's Land Ideology Research

This paper is a study of British people thought of the thesis, by Thomas Spence's political thought as the research object, through the data analysis of his texts, the formation of Spence's thoughts background, origin, content. At the same time strive to comprehensively and systematically demonstrates the connotation of spencer's political thought, main content and historical influence, and sort out his thinking logic in the relationship. Which focuses on the land public ownership theory of spencer, reveal the spencer really want to achieve is a socialist utopia, and radical thoughts and British history environment led to his defeat at the end of the 18 th century, but his works have great historical value.Political thought is usually the "ought to" build of the world, Spence's "ought to" split world established in land ownership. Spence lived for at the end of the 18 th century and the early nineteenth century, he witnessed the American revolution and the French revolution, in British society at that time, the main political question is: does everyone should be equal political rights. Spence is under the influence of Locke and Harrington thought, he believe that everyone should enjoy political rights, however, Spence and at the same time most of the reformer is an obvious different, he abandoned the will only focus on political reform demands for universal suffrage, he thinks that economic inequality is lead to the root of the inequality of political power, but also from the economic inequality in the unequal possession of the land, only everybody can fully enjoy the "nature" of land rights, to fundamentally eliminate the social inequality, so "Spence's Plan" arises at the historic moment.In the “Spence's plan” first to end his noble and the landlord to rule the country, and the abolition of private land ownership, and then the country is divided into each parish, classified as parish in the ownership of the land, the diocese to obtain benefits from land is Shared by the congregation residents, the highest authority in the country belongs to all the people, everyone will have voting rights including women.Land reform is the key to Spence thought, but he was too radical ideas and social situation at that time, because want to accomplish his plan needs is not only a reform, but a revolution in order to achieve this goal, the British do not have this condition. In spite of this, Spence's land reform program still attracted many followers, also made an impact on later English radical movement.Spence did not realize his plan, but he of the economic and political relations, the pursuit of democracy no compromise, perceptions of social class hierarchy, to the land public ownership, insisted that he became Britain's one of the pioneers of socialism.