Truth, Justice, and the American Way

[nk4e]

I didn't think that the our fore-fathers worried about the future too much when writing the Constitution but the moment was more important to them. Hence, why there wasn't alot of laws against slavery.

 

[GT Pro]

Interesting and complex subject, one that I will contribute my thoughts to after a little more pondering.

 

[YSSMAN]

I didn't think that the our fore-fathers worried about the future too much when writing the Constitution but the moment was more important to them. Hence, why there wasn't alot of laws against slavery.

There was talk of getting rid of slavery early on, but most opposed it. Keep in mind that most of the framers were white male, and otherwise wealthy land owners, many of whom had slaves by which they were able to amass their fortunes. That isn't to say that they were all pro-slavery, as I recall, Washington was to free his salves upon his death, but nevertheless it was a major part of their lives back then.

 

[Danoff]

With a little help from something called the homestead principle, I've put together some thoughts on the derivation of property rights (for those who are interested).

The Foundations of Property

If others have any legitimate claim to the products of your labor, you are, to that degree, a slave. This implies that all of the products of your efforts must be owned by you and no one else (relies on the proof that men cannot be slaves). But what if you're mixing your efforts with other resources?

Property Disputes

Using the above principle, if you're mixing your labor with someone else's property, it does not help appropriate their property for you - but at the same time, it does not give them ownership over the products of your labor. An agreement between the owner and producer should be reached before labor is performed. In the absence of that agreement, any modification or denial of access to the owner's property violates his property rights.

Acquiring Unowned Resources

If you're mixing your labor with unowned resources, the resources become yours if the two are not trivially divorced. The reason the unowned resources become yours is because to allow anyone access to them once again retroactively coerces your previous labor. However, if allowing someone else to use (not own) those resources does not measurably impact the new product, then they are considered trivially divorced and only the new product is owned. An example of this would be the use of "air" in respiration while producing a chair. Even though the air was effectively used to produce the chair, it is not included in ownership because the two are trivially divorced. Allowing others access to air does not measurably impact the chair.

I used the above definition of property rights to establish intellectual property (patents, trademarks, and copyright) as a fundamental human right.