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Why is public knowledge of who owns what home required for accountability in a republic? A functioning government should have no problem enforcing whatever laws

• williamcotton 3y ago
  So we should rely on the government being the only party with access to what you would make privileged information? A key aspect of public accountability is tautologically dependent on public information. We are supposed to keep our own elected officials as well as those granted the right to private property in check or else fraud and corruption would reign supreme. We have been operating under these conditions since the advent of the democratic republic and to our good fortune.
• singleshot_ 3y ago
  Because our system of property, inherited from English common law, has a concept of a beneficial purchaser for value without notice. If someone gives you money for property and they are not on notice that there are conflicting claims, their claim is valid. Such a system requires a way to establish constructive notice. A taker for value should have known that the land he was buying belonged to another if its ownership was properly recorded at the time of the purported sale. Mileage may vary in different jurisdictions. Recording office May vary according to property type under state law; e.g., DMV might record motor vehicle titles while the county recorder in the county of the property probably records real estate.