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From: nrh@inmet.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: libertarianism vs. efficiency
Message-ID: <1799@inmet.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 9-Nov-84 01:24:48 EST
Article-I.D.: inmet.1799
Posted: Fri Nov  9 01:24:48 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 10-Nov-84 06:13:22 EST
Lines: 32
Nf-ID: #R:wucs:-46200:inmet:7800165:000:1478
Nf-From: inmet!nrh    Nov  7 15:00:00 1984

>***** inmet:net.politics / wucs!esk /  8:45 am  Nov  6, 1984
>[replies to ark, sevener, glosser, nrh, ward, klw, grunwald]
>
>From: nrh@inmet.UUCP
>>>***** inmet:net.politics / hao!ward / 10:28 pm  Oct 20, 1984
>>>...This seems to exclude the right of a human to own land, which
>>>was not created by any human.
>>
>>Not at all.  Nothing whatever is "created" by humans -- try making
>harm me!
>I detect a GLARING INCONSISTENCY.
>
>				--Paul V Torek, ihnp4!wucs!wucec1!pvt1047

And no wonder!  Either my article got garbled on its way to you, or
your response got garbled coming back to me.  Here's the paragraph:

	Not at all.  Nothing whatever is "created" by humans -- try making
	pottery without clay, electronics without metal and silicon,
	cheese without milk, and so forth.  The "original owner" of land
	is the person who first claims it and uses it.  Libertarians
	differ on what happens when the land is not, in fact, used.
	(Note that "use" need not be industrial development: wetlands
	are "used" by duck hunters, private parks are "used" by park
	rangers and invited guests or owners).  I believe Murry Rothbard
	holds that if land is not possessed continuously it reverts to
	the "unowned" state, but I'm not up on the finer points.

Now, of course, I amend that -- humans can create non-material property
such as knowledge -- a novel can be created by a human, but the manuscript
was made using things already around (wood for paper, various elements
for ink).