Quote from: agaumoney on June 24, 2011, 06:01:23 PM

Quote from: JoelKatz on June 24, 2011, 05:03:10 PM

Quote from: myrkul on June 24, 2011, 05:23:03 AM

Rights are not obtained by contract. Agreements are.

I don't understand this distinction. What is the difference between an agreement and the right to enforce an agreement?

Agreements are created (made).

You cannot create rights.

Really? So who gave us our rights and where did they come from?

We give rights to ourselves by agreeing to abide by them.

I want the right to live. As long as I do not take another's life, I have that right. If I take someone's life, I've given up my right to life because I've proven that I will not respect another's right to life.

I want the right to own property. As long as I do not take another's property, I have that right. If I steal something, I've given up my right to own property because I've proven that I will not respect another's right to own property.

If someone refuses to respect the rights of another, they can not expect to have rights of their own.

Once someone legitimizes violence as a tool to be used against others, they legitimize violence as a tool to be used against themselves.

We can interact with each other through mutual voluntary agreement, or we can use force. The initiator sets the premise for future interaction.