Private Property and State Power Philosophical Justifications, Economic Explanations, and the Role of Government

Individual freedom and economic prosperity depend on clearly defined and secure private property rights. Without government to define and enforce such rights, a system of private property is not possible on a large scale. At the same time, government power and oversight can provide constant threats to private property rights, leading to a sometimes contentious relationship between the interests of the individual and the state. Based on the premise that private property is important to both individual welfare and the public interest, Private Property and State Power provides an intellectual framework, accessible to an educated lay audience including government officials, for the analysis and resolution of contemporary property rights disputes—detailing the best practices for a strong system of property rights in the context of effective government.

Jim Huffman is Dean Emeritus of Lewis and Clark Law School, USA, and a member of the Hoover Institution's John and Jean De Nault Task Force on Property Rights, Freedom and Prosperity. Huffman has taught law for four decades and has written extensively on constitutional, natural resource and private property topics. His commentaries appear regularly in The Daily Caller and occasionally in the Wall Street Journal and several other publications.

1. Introduction
2. Property and Government: An Unavoidable Tension
3. What is Property?
4. Philosophical Justifications
5. Economic Justifications
6. The Powers and Limits of the State
7. Conclusion