Yesterday, a statist said to me “…but, the state is what makes us all civilised! We’d all be children or savages if it weren’t for a government that preserved the rule of law.” Needless to say, I found this even funnier than “who will build the roads?” Nevertheless, I will write now, for the benefit of all statists who share this mistaken belief, on why this is incorrect and why, in fact, the reverse of this is true.
The State is Turning You into a Child and a Savage
Coase and Externalities
The concept of property rights is essential for preserving cooperation among people. And yet there are still many thinkers who deny this fundamental truth. Some believe that private property is the cause of all evil and that it should be abolished. Earth is considered to be a “common good” which is not anybody’s property. However, it is precisely the other way around. The record of history is crystal clear and confirms that when individuals’ private property rights were respected and society allowed its members to pursue their separate interests, the society flourished. On the other hand, when the societies departed from that, failure and decay were inevitable consequences.
“Jailbreaking” can now land you in jail… Except when it doesn’t!
The Librarian of Congress has issued a ruling informing American citizens that they do not have the right to modify their own property.
What is the Librarian of Congress protecting the American citizen from? A scary gun? Possibly an environment-destroying vehicle? Surely it is something insidious, inherently dangerous or at least annoying, right? Continue reading