Every human being has the moral right to take the actions necessary to create material values. Of course, many governments do not recognize this right, and individuals can be restricted in their freedom to create values and sustain their lives. The discussion of property rights in space is dominated by the premise that individuals should not have the freedom to create values. This premise is shared by both “sides” of the debate.
We previously saw how both the Left and alleged defenders of the free market argue for restrictions on individual efforts in space. Both “sides” of the debate agree that individuals should be permitted to act only as the collective deems appropriate.
When an individual creates property, he does not deprive others of anything that is rightfully theirs. When Apple created the iPhone, the company did not prevent Samsung, Nokia, and other companies from producing their own smart phones. The same is true when an individual removes a resource from nature to create values. His action does not deprive others of the freedom to use nature’s resources to create similar values or other values.
In regard to space, every individual possesses the moral right to explore and exploit the moon, asteroids, and other celestial bodies. Every individual has a moral right to create values from the resources found in space. The success of Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos in doing so does not prevent others from engaging in similar actions. Musk and Bezos cannot stop anyone from creating values on Earth or in space.
The freedom to create values is the essence of property rights. It is a recognition of the fact that life requires the creation of values, and the creation of values requires thought and effort. Those who exert the mental and physical effort to create values have a moral right to use and dispose of those values as they judge best. It is a matter of justice.
Justice means granting to others that which they have earned or deserve. The creators of property have earned ownership of the life-sustaining values that they have created. Justice demands that we recognize and respect their right to their creations, i.e., grant to them that which they have earned.
It is a perversion of justice to declare that the creations of innovators belong to mankind. Mankind is not sending rockets into space. Musk and Bezos are. Mankind is not trying to figure out how to colonize Mars. Musk is. The achievements of the innovators belong to them. Those who can and do have a moral right to their creations. Those who can’t and don’t have no claim to the creations of others.
If we truly wish to make the vast potential offered by space a reality, then we must protect the freedom of innovators (and everyone else) to create values.
The Property Rights in Space Series
- Introduction
- The Celestial Commons
- A Duty to Sacrifice
- A False Framework
- Shared Premises
- Property Rights
- The Freedom to Create Values
- A New Framework
- A Unilateral Declaration