On Property Rights

Posted by Michael at 2:48 pm on November 9, 2008 in Politics

I received an email this morning from a vendor with the following quote in their signature line:

“Whenever there is a conflict between human rights and property rights, human rights must prevail”

I recognized the quote immediately. It is of course part of the eloquent argument that Lincoln used to justify the emancipation of slaves and the destruction of America’s most shameful institution. In the context of Lincoln’s usage it provides a clear moral compass and illuminates the inherent immorality of slavery. Unfortunately it’s a quote that’s frequently used but infrequently understood.

In the case of slavery the property rights cited, those of one person over another, are invalid. It is fundamental to the concept of human rights that no person should ever hold another in servitude. And the most fundamental property right is the ownership a person has of their own life and destiny. Hence the pursuit of liberty and prosperity that is intrinsic to our concept of a free society.

In a broader sense however it is essentially impossible for there to be a conflict between property rights and human rights since property rights are a human right. They are in fact the most fundamental of human rights from which all other rights in an open society flow. Most economists agree that the establishment and protection of property rights is vital to the development and sustainability of both a market economy and a free society.

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