Friday, 21 May 2010

Without land we might starve

In spite of land property rights being (ideally) arranged on an informal basis, we nevertheless have an obligation not to occupy too great a proportion of the land. If we deny to others too great a proportion of the land, we are being aggressive and not good neighbours. Good neighbours allow others to have reasonable access to land.

To be denied access to land (for legitimate, not harmful reasons) requires justification, and this can only be that someone else has a greater, or at least equal requirement. To own an excess of land which violates the Lockean proviso requires justification. We are justified to own land if without it we will suffer and perish. We are poor if we do not have sufficient access to land.

Land is the solution to poverty.

We can be the cause of poverty if we own too much land and deprive others of (the use of) land. Owning land creates poverty in others. People would be in a lesser degree of poverty if those with an excess of land decided to give it away to their associates. There would be less poverty if people were more restrained with regard to their land ownership. A greater number of people would be wealthy if land is more evenly owned.

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