Henry George was an American journalist and political economist. His book Progress and Poverty (1879) was one of the best selling books of its time. While he was considered an advocate of free trade (he opposed tariffs), George was a staunch opponent of property rights. In Progress and Poverty, George argued that labor is the…
In late May, one of the items on the agenda of the Dallas City Council was a proposed settlement with a property owner regarding an eminent domain case. Councilwoman Sandy Greyson spoke against the settlement, I’m not blaming anyone that we’re settling this case, but it’s just infuriating that if you’re rich enough you can…
In the 2017 legislative session, the Texas House considered a bill that would severely limit the ability of local governments to impose historic designations on private property. Under current law, local authorities have broad discretion in designation historic landmarks and subjecting such properties to government control. As might be expected, preservationists were up in arms….
In Part 1, we examined the tragedy of the “commons.” In that post, the argument for government regulation was presented. In this post, we will examine how property rights can be applied to air and water. The following is an excerpt from my book, The Innovator Versus the Collective. Just as you cannot damage the…
In 1968, Garrett Hardin wrote a highly influential article titled “The Tragedy of the Commons,” in which he examined the problems that inherently arise when property is owned “in common.” Hardin tells the story of a pasture shared by a number of herdsmen: As a rational being, each herdsman seeks to maximize his gain. Explicitly…
During the 2017 Texas legislative session, protecting property rights from violations by local governments was a recurring subject and the source of great controversy. Legislators introduced bills to rescind local ordinances pertaining to plastic bag bans, tree removal, short-term rentals, and more. Gov. Gregg Abbott called a special session largely for the explicit purpose of…
It is said that politics sometimes makes strange bedfellows. Politicians who seem to oppose one another on virtually every issue can occasionally agree on one particular issue. In this instance, the bedfellows aren’t two opposing politicians, but two politicians and property rights. Democratic representatives Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Beto O’Rourke of Texas recently announced…
Last week, the Trump Administration allowing employers to quit offering no-cost birth control as a part of employee insurance policies. According to the Houston Chronicle, reaction was swift and divided: “President Trump is demonstrating his commitment to undoing the anti-faith policies of the previous administration and restoring true religious freedom,” said Tony Perkins, president of…
In an article titled “Why We Need Compromise,” former U.S. Representative Lee Hamilton wrote: The responsibility of our politicians is to make the country work, to provide stability and an environment in which Americans can live in freedom and achieve their goals. In a nation as big and diverse as ours, in which people hold…
Pursuing one’s values is always a challenge, and it is even more difficult when those values are in conflict with the community in which one lives. In Chocolat, Vianne Rocher opens a chocolate shop in a small French village on the eve of Lent. She immediately finds herself in conflict with the town’s mayor, who…
We hear lots of talk from politicians and various organizations about improving the quality of life. But the quality of life advocates never define what they mean by the term. They assume that we all know, and agree to, its meaning. More than 25 million people live in Texas. Some prefer the ballet over baseball….
If your neighbor broke into your house to steal money for his transportation needs, you would recognize his action as immoral and criminal. He took your property without your consent. The principle does not change if a government agent acts as your neighbor’s proxy. If your neighbor needs assistance, he has two methods by which…