I began this series by referring to Ayn Rand’s claim that without property rights, no other rights are possible. I was initially skeptical of that claim, and that is what led to an intense study of philosophy, history, and economics. My goal was to determine if Rand’s claim was indeed true. It is.
A few years ago, a friend remarked that I see property rights issues everywhere. She is correct, because it’s all about property rights.
Consider how you spend your waking moments. If you are like most people, the vast majority of your time is used to produce, use, or trade values. You go to work to produce values. You go to the store to trade for values. When you watch television, surf the Internet, play golf, or engage in nearly any leisure activity, you are using values. Nearly everything we do involves producing, using, or trading values.
The right to property means the freedom to produce, use, and trade values. When that freedom is restricted, our ability to live is curtailed. When the government prohibits the construction of a pipeline, it limits the freedom of businesses to produce energy, and with it, the ability of everyone to live the life we choose. When the government bans gas stoves, then our freedom to use the cooking appliances of our choice is limited, and with it, our ability to live as we choose. When the government requires us to get its permission to offer a service (occupational licensing), our freedom to trade is reduced, and with it, our ability to live the life we choose.
Every government regulation and control places restrictions on our freedom to produce, use, or trade values. Every violation of property rights limits our ability to live our lives as we desire. It restricts our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Ayn Rand was correct. “Without property rights, no other rights are possible.”