Why did Locke believe nobody should harm another person’s life, liberty, or possessions?

In John Locke’s political theory, the belief that no one should harm another person’s life, liberty, or possessions is rooted in the law of nature.1

Locke argued that because all human beings are naturally equal and independent, they are subject to a moral law discoverable through reason. This law teaches that since individuals are created by an "infinitely wise Maker," they have no natural hierarchy and thus no right to destroy one another.123

Unlike theories that view the state of nature as a state of total license, Locke maintained that it is governed by this natural moral order. He believed that individuals are naturally endowed with these fundamental rights, which precede the formation of any civil society. Consequently, every person has a duty to respect these rights in others, and this obligation is a core component of the human condition. This framework serves as the foundation for his view that legitimate government exists primarily to protect these natural rights, rather than to infringe upon them.3145