I'm working on a concise statement of basic libertarian ethical principles, for eventual inclusion in the
Foundational Knowledgebase.
Take a look at my current draft and let me know what you think.
(The parts in parentheses are eventually going to contain links to side-articles on controversial topics)
Basic Principles of Libertarianism
What Is Ownership:
1. To own something is to have the exclusive right to use it.
2. To use something is to physically change or move it.
3. Only physical things can be owned (link – intellectual property).
How Things Come To Be Owned Originally:
4. The first person to use something, which no one has used before, becomes its first owner.
5. Every person becomes the owner of his own body at birth (link – abortion).
How the Ownership of Things is Transferred From One Person To Another:
6. The ownership of something is transferred if and only if all parties agree (link – voluntary slavery)
7. An agreement is void if made under threat of aggression.
What is Aggression:
8. Aggression is the use of something (including a human body) without the permission of its owner.
Defending Oneself From Aggressors:
9. One may employ whatever force is minimally necessary to eliminate a threat of imminent aggression.
Punishing Aggressors:
10. An aggressor is liable to compensate his victim, in an amount proportional to the value of the property of which he deprived the victim (link – capital punishment)
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