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Full Idea
One may plausibly say of external things in their initial state, of raw land and natural resources, that no person has a greater right to them than any other does.
Gist of Idea
It is plausible that no one has an initial right to own land and natural resources
Source
G.A. Cohen (Are Freedom and Equality Compatible? [1986], 1)
Book Ref
'Contemporary Political Philosophy (2nd ed)', ed/tr. Goodin,RE/Pettit,P [Blackwell 2006], p.418
A Reaction
How about if your group has lived on that plot for fifty generations, and some interlopers arrive and claim part of it. No one thought of 'owning' it till the interlopers arrived. Native Americans and Australians.
| 21733 | The right-wing conception of freedom is based on the idea of self-ownership [Cohen,GA] |
| 21734 | It is plausible that no one has an initial right to own land and natural resources [Cohen,GA] |
| 21735 | Every thing which is now private started out as unowned [Cohen,GA] |
| 21736 | It is doubtful whether any private property was originally acquired legitimately [Cohen,GA] |
| 21739 | Plenty of people have self-ownership, but still lack autonomy [Cohen,GA] |