# Grotius — What Is Property? character guide

> Grotius in What Is Property? by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon.

**Role:** minor

**First appearance:** 0002-what-is-property

## Who they are

Dutch jurist and philosopher of natural law cited.

## In the story

### [§ 2: Occupation, as the Title to Property](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/2-occupation-as-the-title-to-property)

Cited for his historical account of property emerging from original communism; Proudhon rejects his reasoning.

### [§ 1: The Land Cannot Be Appropriated](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/1-the-land-cannot-be-appropriated)

Mentioned in context of his treatise on the Freedom of the Seas, opposing appropriation of the sea.

### [§ 2: Universal Consent No Justification of Property](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/2-universal-consent-no-justification-of-property)

Cited as one who might draft a contract of universal consent, but Proudhon rejects its validity.

### [§ 3: Prescription Gives No Title to Property](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/chapters/3-prescription-gives-no-title-to-property)

Quoted for his view that prescription is a fiction and for his argument that abandoning a right may prevent perpetual trespass; Proudhon rejects this.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/characters/grotius
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/what_is_property_se/characters