Quote from: flug on July 18, 2011, 03:53:29 PM

Sure. Paradigm shifts don't happen overnight, and they are often painful, but they happen of their own accord and for their own enlightened reasons. Just like when we broke free of feudalism.

Are you saying we've arrived at the 'end of history' with our current world view of property and wealth? World views have changed in the past, and I see no reason to think they won't continue to evolve.

My own view is that development both cyclic and progressive. Like a spiral.

Thanks for the discussion. No I am certainly not saying there is an end of history... quite the opposite. But the manner in which humans interact with each other - the incentives and typical outcomes as they relate to private property - were as true 10,000 years ago as they are today. We've just gotten better (or in some cases worse) at defining them.

Ownership of one's self and one's labor is not subject to "phases" of history. It's a constant, or at least it ought to be. Certainly some peripheral rules about how we determine property ownership can change, but the fundamental principle that one can and ought to own property which he creates or voluntarily trades for... I don't see that changing until human nature fundamentally changes.

To be honest, I think those who have a problem with private property are more accurately described as having a problem with "inequality" itself. Seeing two people with different abilities, talents, possessions, opportunities, and lifestyles fundamentally bothers many people. Perhaps it bothers you? Yet while humans should be treated equally under a legal system, they are inherently unequal from birth. Some are smarter, some are skilled in a certain area, some are strong and play football well, some make better decisions, some happen upon fortunate circumstances and some make fortune upon their own strength of will. Instead of despising these inequalities, I find them very valuable as they permit a vast division of labor and immense opportunity to cooperate.

We are not ants in a hive... equal in our ambitions, character, and build. Humans are individuals, inherently unequal. As such, I am highly skeptical of any system which attempts to "communalize" humans. Humans will always co-operate when it is in their selfish interest to do so (even donating to charity falls into this category typically). But trying to encourage humans to co-operate without strong regard to their own selfishness is a fool's errand, and indeed wholly unnecessary. As Adam Smith said, "it is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the baker, or the brewer that we get our dinner." This has been true since the dawn of man, has it not?