Where do property rights come from? (government, states, claim, income)

[freemkt]

Do they come from God, from man through government, or from what?

[Little-Acorn]

The right to own property justly acquired, comes from the very nature of Man himself. If you believe Man was created by God, then the right came from God. If not, not. But it is somethinng Man had simply by virtue of being born. Government had nothing to do with it - govt came later.

The only reason govt has anything to do with the right to own property justly acquired, is because sometime other men try to take your property away from you unjustly. Then men has agreed to get together with is fellow men to stop that thief from doing it, and/or to restore the property to you, its rightful owner.

The agreement to prevent others from taking your property, or to restore it to you, comes from man. That guarantee doesn't kick in until AFTER you own property and someone tries to take it from you unjustly. Your right to own that property in the first place, comes from the fact that you are human.

Some people have the mistaken belief that, since some people have the ability to take your property away from you unjustly, this means that you have no "right" to own it. They try to claim that since govt gets involved in restoring your property to you, this means that govt gave you the right to own it in the first place. These fundamental errors are very useful to those who do not want you to own property. They are often one and the same with those who want to take it unjustly.

[ColonelStraker]

Property is owned by those that can protect it either by force or treaty otherwise government is required to protect your rights to it.

[dub dub II]

The above is false.
Man does not need property to be exclusively his, many men have lived well without land being his own.

[LAWS]

Its difficult to say. Who was the first man to live? My view is it is impossible to ever go back so far with any degree of accuracy and laws can only be applied to the living.

[freemkt]

Originally Posted by dub dub II

The above is false.
Man does not need property to be exclusively his, many men have lived well without land being his own.

And many without property have become destitute paupers when their ability to earn income failed.

[Little-Acorn]

Originally Posted by dub dub II

The above is false.
Man does not need property to be exclusively his, many men have lived well without land being his own.

Many men have lived "well" (that is, with adequate food, water, shelter) while being slaves. Does that mean man has no right to freedom?

Another illustration of those who mistake the ability to steal property, for the right to own it.

[TriMT7]

Real property rights flow from the sovereign/government.


This is especially true in the United States.

[roysoldboy]

Originally Posted by freemkt

And many without property have become destitute paupers when their ability to earn income failed.

I think that most of our property rights come from English common law and although that doesn't go back to Adam it surely does go back there a long way.

I don't know what the OP is aiming at but it seems to me that government ownership as in socialist societies is the point.

[ellemint]

Property is a man-made concept. None of us own the earth --- we're all just temporary renters (although we sure are some destructive tenants!)