The significance of property ownership has rarely been fully appreciated, writes Robert LeFevre.
He proceeds to present the entire libertarian case for private ownership, with his characteristic clarity of exposition. He makes what is a radically hard-core case for the absolute integrity of self ownership and property ownership but in a way that comes across as common-sense. He shows that how a society thinks about the issue of ownership is not just a matter of details; our very survival depends on it.
Here is an excellent overview of a topic that Mises said was the foundational idea of liberalism itself. But it’s more than an overview: it is a strong case for iron-clad, impenetrable, and no-exceptions social rules on ownership.
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Robert LeFevre (1911–1986) ran the Freedom School and Rampart College, founded in 1957. He had a legendary impact on a whole generation of libertarians. LeFevre’s complete audio archives is available in Mises Media.
To maximize human well-being and to minimize disputes, private ownership and management of land and all appurtenances to land should be encouraged. Further, the land should be untaxed. The owner should own totally, once all encumbrances have been removed.
To converse with others, associate with them, shake hands with them, or even to experience such intimacies as a sexual relationship, does not constitute a property relationship, but rather a relationship with a property owner.
Rampart College Press, 1966.
