The Myth of Property Rights

Philosophics — Philosophical and Political Ramblings · Jun 11, 2025 · 12m

Bry Willis from "Philosophics Blog" critiques the historical and philosophical underpinnings of private property rights, particularly as conceptualised by John Locke. The author challenges Locke's "first-come, first-served" justification for land ownership, arguing that it is arbitrary and exclusionary, especially given that most land was already claimed when many people came into existence. The piece introduces Parfit's long-termism to highlight the inherent temporal and speciesist biases within traditional property concepts, suggesting that current generations' stewardship often depletes…