ark@rabbit.UUCP (Andrew Koenig) (10/20/84)
Mike Ward asks what is the basis of the right of people to own land, which was not created by any human. The simplest answer I have seen comes from Ayn Rand, who wrote: Any material element or resource which, in order to become of use or value to men, requires the application of human knowledge and effort, should be private property -- by the right of those who apply the knowledge and effort. [Objectivist Newsletter, Vol. 3 No. 4, April 1964] The quote is from an article called "The Property Status of Airwaves," but since the article compares that status with the property status of land, I can fairly say that the principle applies to land ownership as well.