Discussions of property rights (as well as most policy issues) are cluttered with clichés and bromides. These terms and phrases depend on ambiguity and fuzzy definitions for their effectiveness. On the surface, they often sound appealing, and this works to the advantage of the enemies of property rights. They talk about protecting our heritage or…
The context establishes the relationship of a statement or idea to other statements and ideas. If we consider an idea in isolation, then we are guilty of dropping context, of ignoring what defines or conditions that idea. When we are guilty of dropping context, we are failing to consider the full context. We are considering…
In Part 1, we briefly examined the prevalence of false alternatives in controversial political issues. In Part 2, we examined how to identify false alternatives. In this post, we will look at one of the most common ways in which false alternatives are presented. One of the most common ways in which false alternatives are…
Have you ever attempted to discuss a property rights issue with someone who disagrees with your position? Did you have a constructive conversation in which ideas were calmly discussed? Or did it turn into an angry argument? Often, when we discuss political issues with those who disagree with us, we take on an attitude of…
In Part 1, we briefly examined the prevalence of false alternatives in controversial political issues. But how do we know when false alternatives are being presented? How do we know that there are other alternatives? The clearest indication is when we actually know of real alternatives. If we are aware of an alternative that isn’t…
If we examine virtually any controversial political issue, we often find that we are presented with false alternatives. This fallacy consists of asserting that we must choose between a limited number of alternatives when other, unmentioned alternatives exist. As an example, when a Christian baker refused to bake a cake for a gay wedding, and…
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…
Often, when a regulation or law is proposed, the would-be victims argue that their property rights would be violated if the regulation is enacted. While this is far too often true, it just as frequently falls on deaf ears. And the reason is quite simple: Most people think that property rights are not sacrosanct. They…
In recent years, much controversy has arisen over companies such as Airbnb and Uber. Airbnb and Uber are the poster boys of the “sharing economy”–a technological revolution that has allowed millions to become successful entrepreneurs. That revolution has been successful because it enables individuals to circumvent the regulatory cronyism that dominates many industries, such as…