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I have referred before to James
Griffin and his book On Human Rights.
Griffin doesn't discuss property rights in
that book, but I wonder if his approach might
be used to support some sort of basic rights
to property.
For Griffin, basic human
rights are the necessary conditions of
personhood. Personhood includes autonomy,
liberty, and minimal welfare. What can we say
about property? It seems to me that we cannot
say that the extensive property rights
advocated by classic liberals and modern
libertarians are necessary for achieving or
maintaining personhood. But, on the other
hand, some control of personal property may be
necessary. If other people or the government
could take one's goods at will, what sort of
autonomy or liberty would be left? Dee has
made that point, and I think she is right.
So perhaps Griffin's theory
would support limited property rights.
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