Website owner:  James Miller

Inherent rights

   Does the concept of private ownership of property imply certain 
   inherent rights, rights that a state has no right to take away? 

   If you own a business do you have a right to fire any employee 
   anytime for any reason?  Should you have this right?  Is there 
   an inherent right here?  Suppose the employee has been working 
   for you for 20 years, has been a good worker, and you have no 
   good reason for firing him.  Should you still have the right to 
   fire him if that is your desire? (Perhaps you just want to 
   replace him with a friend that you wish to provide with a job).  
   If you own a business aren't there certain inherent rights that 
   you have in regard to it --- like total rights in regard to 
   operation and control?  Can business operate without these 
   rights?  Isn't the right to freely hire and fire essential to 
   the conduct of a business?  Can business thrive in any country 
   if it is deprived of these rights? 

   To state the above questions in a slightly different way, 
   suppose you are an employee who has been working on a job for 
   20 years and have been a good employee.  Do you have any rights 
   in regard to your job?  If you are faced with being fired do 
   you have any rights? 

   Suppose you own a rental property.  Do you have an inherent 
   right to get rid of any tenant anytime for any reason (assuming 
   he is not protected by a lease)?  Does any renter have any 
   rights to a property except those granted to him by a lease?  
   Suppose he has lived there 20 years and the property owner 
   suddenly wants him to leave.  Does he have any right to 
   continue living there by virtue of the fact that he has lived 
   there for 20 years and been a good tenant? 

   Suppose you have a rental property on the market for rent.  Do 
   you have an inherent right to absolute right of control over 
   who lives in the house?  Do you have an inherent right to 
   accept or reject any person who applies to rent it?  Does any 
   person have any rights in regard to your property other than 
   those you grant to him through a lease?  Don't anti-
   discrimination laws violate inherent rights with respect to 
   property? 

   Suppose you own a car.  Does anyone have any right to use or 
   operate your car unless you give him that right?

   Mar 1995