Difference between revisions of "What Is Property?"
From Critiques Of Libertarianism
| Line 42: | Line 42: | ||
==What is the relationship between owners, property, and other people?== | ==What is the relationship between owners, property, and other people?== | ||
| − | + | For a more extensive explanation, see: [[A Positive Model Of Rights]]. | |
| + | |||
| + | An enforced right can be modeled as a social and economic relationship between three groups about a thing. | ||
| + | Let's start with a simple story, a diagram and an explanatory table. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ronnie claims ownership of some land and pays Eddie to enforce that right against the denizens of Dallas. Eddie tells them "you have a duty not to use this land because Ronnie has the right and I will pop anybody who does." | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Ronnie is a '''RightHolder''' with the right to the land. | ||
| + | * Eddie is an '''Enforcer''' who makes threats and follows up if Ronnie's right is violated. In the US, the enforcer is the government. | ||
| + | * The denizens of Dallas are '''DutyBearers''': a duty not to use the land is forced on them by Eddie, otherwise they could use the land for themselves. | ||
| + | * The land is a '''Thing''' that is controlled by the right. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Image:Rights.jpg|500px]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Ronnie receives the '''Benefits''' of the Thing: ue of the land. | ||
| + | * Eddie receives the '''Fees''' for enforcement, in this case from Ronnie. In the case of the US, from taxes on everybody. | ||
| + | * The denizens of Dallas have an '''Opportunity Cost''': if it wasn't for Eddie, they could use the land. | ||
| + | * 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'''. | ||
| + | |||
| + | This diagram makes clear that ownership places duties to respect ownership without consent: property as constituted everywhere in the world is without universal consent. | ||
==What are the component rights of property?== | ==What are the component rights of property?== | ||
