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…
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…
The advocates of anti-discrimination legislation believe that individuals should be protected from unfairness and stupidity. They want government to prohibit actions that they deem to be wrong or offensive. They want government to protect their “rights.” For example, blacks, women, and gays have all demanded special laws that prohibit discrimination against them, and they have…
Capitalism is the social/political system that recognizes and protects individual rights—the freedom to live as one chooses so long as one respects the freedom of others to do the same. Individual rights pertain to freedom of action. They protect an individual’s freedom to take the actions that he deems necessary to sustain and enhance his…
Each time it enters a new market, Uber meets with vehement protests. But those protests do not come from consumers. They come from taxi companies and their employees. Why? The answer is cronyism. Nearly every city in the world with a population greater than 50,000 heavily regulates the taxi industry. Typically, those regulations limit the…
Cronyism is the practice of dispensing political favors to some at the expense of others. Those with the proper political connections are the beneficiaries. Those who provide electoral support through donations or votes are rewarded with favorable legislation. Fascism is a form of collectivism, as are socialism and communism. In each of these systems, the…
No matter which party or politician backs a particular piece of legislation, its advocates nearly always proclaim that it serves the public interest. And opponents are just as quick to claim that the legislation is harmful to the public interest. The Keystone XL pipeline serves as an example. For years, the pipeline was a controversial…
Before the flood waters in Houston had even stopped rising, calls for more land-use regulations to reduce flooding were being voiced. As one example, Bill Balleza on KPRC questioned the wisdom of allowing development near Addicks and Barker reservoirs. In the Chronicle, Bill King wrote, “We will need new, no tolerance development rules prohibit new…
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…
In the most recent legislative session, Texas lawmakers passed several bills intended to strengthen property rights. At the same time, they passed at least one bill that represents a gross infringement of property rights. That inconsistency indicates that legislators really don’t understand what the right to property means. Property rights protect our freedom to create,…