Interesting review of Bruno Leonis great (but not perfect) Freedom and the Law by Rothbard (an audio version is at mises.org/media/8610/Audio-Mises-Daily-gtgt-How-To-Have-Law-Without-Legislation ). Leonis book heavily influenced one of my earlier articles -- ( mises.org/daily/4147 -- longer version linked therein ). What I found intersting about Rothbards review is that he argues that its possible to homestead the sea by ... shining light on it. Hmm. I am not quite persuaded, but its an interesting suggestion. In fact, lighthouses could easily charge ships for their services, if they were permitted to own those surfaces of the sea which they transform by their illumination. A man who takes unowned land and transforms it for productive use is readily granted ownership of that land, which can henceforth be used economically; why should not the same rule apply to that other natural resource, the sea? If the lighthouse owner were granted ownership of the sea surface that he illuminates, he could then charge each ship as it passes through. The deficiency here is a failure not of the free market but of the government and the society in not granting a property right to the rightful owner of a resource.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 14:13:28 +0000
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