Voltaire is widely credited with saying, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” This quote, whether Voltaire actually said it, is often cited by defenders of free speech.
Those who write or speak popular ideas have little fear of government reprisal. But those who express unpopular ideas have reason to fear government sanction or worse. Indeed, Voltaire reputedly wrote those words in response to a book by the French philosopher Claude-Adrien Helvétius that was condemned in the Parliament of Paris and by the Collège de Sorbonne. Voltaire disagreed with Helvétius but defended his right to author an objectionable book.
Voltaire’s essential point is that if we want the freedom to freely express our ideas, we must respect and defend the freedom of others to do the same. The same principle applies to property.
Consider historic preservation as an example. Preservation ordinances prohibit property owners from demolishing designated buildings, using modern building materials, or doing anything that would detract from the “character” of an historic district. In other words, preservationists disapprove of how others might use their property, but rather than defend their freedom to do so, the preservationists seek laws to prevent objectionable property uses.
We may not always approve of how others choose to use their property, but if we want the freedom to create, attain, use, and trade material values as we choose, then we must respect and defend the freedom of others to do so as well.