Political Theory

Re: Are there human rights?

Andrew Cain — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:55:54 GMT

Jonathan Nebel:

I'm looking at the non-existence of typical human rights, including free press, right to assemble. Essentially the Bill of Rights. I guess I just didn't fully understand the section. Is his point that we have a right to life and property and everything else comes from those two things?

Well think of the 'freedom of the press' right. Does freedom of the press infer that you get a free printing press? Does it infer that you can sneak onto others property? Same with the right to assemble. Does it mean that you can trespass onto others property?

Re: Are there human rights?

wilderness — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:13:58 GMT

Rothbard was pointing out that all natural rights can be summed up as property rights. Life, liberty, and property (the usual three mentioned) can be simply stated property rights. They are one and the same. Pursuit of happiness is a deeper concept known also as eudaimonia, which is, I believe Greek for happiness. It is kin in conception to 'pursuit of excellence' though excellence is more precisely named in Greek arete. But they are similar in concept. To understand eudaimonia a bit more this might help. Happiness in this way is also called flourishing.

This might help as well.

Re: Are there human rights?

Nebelwerfer — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:02:22 GMT

I'm looking at the non-existence of typical human rights, including free press, right to assemble. Essentially the Bill of Rights. I guess I just didn't fully understand the section. Is his point that we have a right to life and property and everything else comes from those two things?

Re: Are there human rights?

Andrew Cain — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:21:55 GMT

Jonathan Nebel:

In For A New Liberty, Rothbard asserts that "In fact, there are no human rights that are separable from property rights." It is at the end of the first chapter in a section titled "Property Rights and 'Human Rights'." Its a fairly short section and I didn't think much on it, but looking back it seems more meaningful. Is there any place else where Rothbard or any other scholar expounded upon this topic? Or, what is everyone here's thoughts on the subject?

On the topic of property vs human rights? Or just property rights?

Re: Are there human rights?

wilderness — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:17:42 GMT

property rights are the person and an external thing based on the principle of original appropriation. That's in that book or maybe it's better explained in the Ethics of Liberty by Rothbard.

Are there human rights?

Nebelwerfer — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:48:25 GMT

In For A New Liberty, Rothbard asserts that "In fact, there are no human rights that are separable from property rights." It is at the end of the first chapter in a section titled "Property Rights and 'Human Rights'." Its a fairly short section and I didn't think much on it, but looking back it seems more meaningful. Is there any place else where Rothbard or any other scholar expounded upon this topic? Or, what is everyone here's thoughts on the subject?