Similar Posts
The Right to Property
For decades, property rights have been under attack across America and Texas. From environmental regulations to zoning ordinances, from business regulations to soda taxes, governments at every level have engaged in a relentless assault on the right to property. The right to property means the freedom to create, use, dispose, and trade material values. It…
To Nullify Contractual Agreements
The beginning of the headline was intriguing: “New law protects Hoosier property rights…” The second clause of the headline—”…makes it harder for HOAs to say no to solar”—set the stage for a grand disappointment. The law does not protect property rights. What the law does do is nullify contractual agreements between neighbors. Homeowner associations (HOAs)…
Lessons From Fighting Zoning
This post is the fifth in a series. In the past two posts, I have summarized my experiences while fighting zoning in two different cities—Houston, and Hobbs, New Mexico. I learned many things from those efforts. Perhaps the most important lesson was that when clear moral distinctions are made between opposing views, the more rational…
The “Right” to Housing
Material values must be created. And to create material values, individuals must be virtuous. They must adhere to certain moral principles if they are to successfully create the values that we want and need. Morally, those who create material values are the rightful owners of those values. Those values are their property, to use, trade,…
The “Bundle” Theory of Property
The dominant view of property today is the “bundle” theory. According to this view, property consists of a number of separate rights, such as the rights to use, disposal, and trade. Metaphorically, property consists of a “bundle of sticks.” One of those sticks can be removed, but a bundle remains. Similarly, one of rights of…
A Phanatic Conflict
Imagine the following scenario: You buy a house and over the next forty years the property significantly appreciates in value. The previous owner then threatens to terminate the sale unless you renegotiate the deal. This might sound absurd, but this is precisely what is happening to the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team. In 1978, the Phillies…