Difference between revisions of "A Positive Model Of Rights"

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Let's start with a simple story, a diagram and an explanatory table.
 
Let's start with a simple story, a diagram and an explanatory table.
  
Ronnie claims the right to pick tangerines from a tree and pays Eddie to enforce that right against the denizens of Dallas.  Eddie tells them "you have a duty not to pick the tangerines because Ronnie has the right and I will pop anybody who does."
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Ronnie claims the right to pick tangerines from a tree and pays Eddie to enforce that right against the denizens of Dallas.  Eddie tells them "you have a duty to let Ronnie pick the tangerines because Ronnie has the right and I will pop anybody who does."
  
 
* Ronnie is a '''RightHolder''' with the right to pick tangerines.
 
* Ronnie is a '''RightHolder''' with the right to pick tangerines.
 
* Eddie is an '''Enforcer''' who makes threats and follows up if Ronnie's right is violated.
 
* Eddie is an '''Enforcer''' who makes threats and follows up if Ronnie's right is violated.
* The denizens of Dallas are '''DutyBearers''': a duty not to pick tangerines is forced on them by Eddie, otherwise they could pick the tangerines for themselves.
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* The denizens of Dallas are '''DutyBearers''': a duty to let Ronnie pick the tangerines is forced on them by Eddie, otherwise by preventing Ronnie from picking, they could have more tangerines for themselves.
 
* The tangerines are a '''Thing''' that is controlled by the right.
 
* The tangerines are a '''Thing''' that is controlled by the right.
  
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* Ronnie receives the '''Benefits''' of the Thing: the tangerines.
 
* Ronnie receives the '''Benefits''' of the Thing: the tangerines.
 
* Eddie receives the '''Fees''' for enforcement.  Fees could come from any of the '''RightHolder''', the '''Thing''' or the '''DutyBearers'''.
 
* Eddie receives the '''Fees''' for enforcement.  Fees could come from any of the '''RightHolder''', the '''Thing''' or the '''DutyBearers'''.
* The denizens of Dallas have an '''Opportunity Cost''': if it wasn't for Eddie, they could have the tangerines.
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* The denizens of Dallas have an '''Opportunity Cost''': if it wasn't for Eddie, they could have more tangerines.
 
* If the denizens of Dallas don't obey Eddie, Eddie has an enforcement '''Cost'''.
 
* If the denizens of Dallas don't obey Eddie, Eddie has an enforcement '''Cost'''.
 
* If the denizens of Dallas don't obey Eddie, Eddie will give them a '''Penalty'''.
 
* If the denizens of Dallas don't obey Eddie, Eddie will give them a '''Penalty'''.
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Arguably, the examples can be simpler than this model: for example when a RightHolder is his own Enforcer or the DutyBearer is also the Thing (as in the case of a slaveowner), but that may not make the model more explanatory and may make it more difficult to compare to alternative uses of this model.  The fees in this model show possible sources of income for enforcement: some of them might be zero.  This model might need more complexity or be used multiple times to handle heterogeneous DutyBearers, such as slaves and abolitionists.<includeonly>
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Arguably, the examples can be simpler than this model: for example when a RightHolder is his own Enforcer or the DutyBearer is also the Thing (as in the case of a slaveowner), but that may not make the model more explanatory and may make it more difficult to compare to alternative uses of this model.  The fees in this model show possible sources of income for enforcement: some of them might be zero.  This model might need more complexity or be used multiple times to handle heterogeneous DutyBearers, such as slaves and abolitionists. [https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rights/#2.1 In addition, this is the atomic form of a right: rights usually come in molecular groupings to form complex rights.]<includeonly>
  
 
For more explanation of this model and how it applies to economics, see:
 
For more explanation of this model and how it applies to economics, see:

Latest revision as of 13:52, 23 October 2019