Beginning with its position that space is a part of the “celestial commons,” the Left argues that we need “democratic use of celestial resources for the benefit of all.” Property rights in space would allow “a few exorbitantly wealthy billionaires” to profit from space, while most of mankind is denied a share of the wealth. Since space is owned by all of mankind, the argument goes, the wealthy have a duty to sacrifice the values that they create and share them with all.
To the Left, individual achievement is a myth—“You didn’t build that”—because success is a consequence of collective action. When individuals like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Richard Branson demonstrate the folly of such a position, the Left seeks to shackle and control them. To the Left, individuals should not pursue their own happiness. Individuals should serve the “collective good.” Self-sacrificial service to others is the Left’s moral framework.
“From each according to his ability, to each according to his need” is a consequence of this framework. Need supersedes any other consideration. According to this framework, an individual’s (or nation’s) need gives him a claim to the efforts and property of others. The wealthy and the productive have a moral duty to sacrifice for the needy.
This has long been the Left’s position regarding the distribution of wealth here on Earth. They now want to apply that creed to space. The Left wants space entrepreneurs and innovators to labor, not for their own benefit and happiness, but for the good of mankind.
The Left does not believe that individuals earn values by their actions. Instead, an individual’s mere existence is a sufficient claim to the values that life requires. Despite the rhetoric of the Left, this is a gross injustice. It means awarding unearned benefits while imposing undeserved penalties upon the producers.
To the Left, individuals do not exist as independent entities, but only as a part of the collective. Individuals should not be free to act on their own judgment in the pursuit of their values and interests. They should only be allowed to act as the collective approves and only in service to the “public interest.”
The Left’s argument against property rights in space is not surprising given its position on property rights on Earth. What is surprising is the position taken by the Adam Smith Institute. The website for the organization states that the institute works “to promote free market, neoliberal ideas through research, publishing, media outreach, and education. The Institute is today at the forefront of making the case for free markets and a free society in the United Kingdom.” As we will soon see, what they propose varies little from the Left’s position on property rights in space. They too, believe that we have a duty to sacrifice.
The Property Rights in Space Series
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