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Property Rights and the “Little Guy,” Part 3
In Part 2 of this series, we saw how minimum wage laws erect barriers to the “little guy” by making it more difficult for him to obtain the job skills that will command a higher wage. Occupational licensing laws are another example. As one example, suppose you want to offer African hair braiding services. In…
A “Fairness Doctrine” for Big Tech?
In 1949, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued the Fairness Doctrine. This policy required broadcasters to present controversial issues of interest to the public, and to present both sides of the issue in a manner that was fair and equitable. The policy was rescinded in 1987, and it ushered in conservative talk radio. Radio station owners…
Saving Trees, Destroying Property Rights
Residents in Victoria recently sought to expand the city’s preservation ordinance to include trees. They want to prevent property owners from removing trees. The Victoria Advocate reports: [Bernard] Klimist, who has run a law firm from a historic building he renovated on Santa Rosa Street since 1991, said the property owner’s rights must be tempered…
Property Rights and Poverty
Last week, I wrote about the relationship between property rights and human flourishing. Writing on Forbes.com, Chuck DeVore provides further evidence of the value of property rights in lifting individuals out of poverty. Citing a report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, DeVore concludes, “There is a close connection between the…
Free Will and Property Rights are Inseparable
The title—“Government attacks free will when it assaults property rights”–of an opinion piece by Andrew P. Napolitano was intriguing. Unfortunately, while the former judge presented two false alternatives of dictatorship, he said virtually nothing about free will and its relationship to property rights. I will correct that oversight. The right to property means the freedom…
Common Errors in Defending Property Rights, Part 2
In Part 1 of this series, we examined why the claim that a proposal will violate property rights often falls on deaf ears. In this post, we will examine a similar error in defending property rights. Often, when a proposal is made that will violate property rights, the victims state that they support the general…