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The natural state is that people and other animals can only "own" land that they physically occupy and defend by force. The kind of property ownership where (yo
by em500 6y ago
The natural state is that people and other animals can only "own" land that they physically occupy and defend by force. The kind of property ownership where (you can make) other people stay out of your house without your own presence and without involving arming yourself is largely granted by governments and paid for in taxes.
Fortunately most of us are born in a time and place with governments having reasonable attitudes towards property ownership. (That includes myself, but not my parents.) But it's often hard for privileged people to see themselves as such.
- brobdingnagians 6y agoI'm not a Hobbesian; though I take the point, but I believe that if the government disappeared, people would just start building up a local government to enforce established customs. If people really wanted to steal everything, the government couldn't stop them. The real check on violence is that people don't want to, and are quite happy with peaceful exchange according to their established views. Some places would probably fall into violence, but I think most would simply reorganize and keep going. Strong central governments typically arise from the efforts of a few elite, but decentralized governments themselves exist nearly throughout history because it is a useful construct for the people living in the different places to resolve disputes and live their lives in peace.
- viklove 6y agoI don't think communities would put up with foreign ownership of local land where said owner literally never sets foot in a 1000 mile radius of the land they "own." Even following your argument, this type of land ownership (pure speculation) would likely cease to exist.