First of all, if ideas relating to private ownership and decision-making are correct, then they must be universally applicable in all cases.  Principles are universal trusims that apply in all cases.  If a principle does not hold true in all cases to which it is appropriately applied, then it is not a principle.

If it is really true that private control of property is desirable, and leads ultimately to the best possible overall situation for human well-being, then we must accept that private ownership of property should be employed in all cases.

It is not particularly helpful or even valid to argue that the corner grocery can be privately owned, but that schools, highways, and hospitals are better off and ought to be "publicly owned", where "public" is simply another way of labeling a state-owned entity.

Taking such a position is to say in effect, that only when we have small and closely integrated economic problems can they be properly entrusted to and managed by private persons -- but that when economic problems become large and complex, affecting many people, then we must have ownership and control by an (allegedly) altruistic and selfless State.

If principles of private ownership and decision-making are correct, then they should work better than state ownership and decision-making, at all levels of size and complexity.

If, on the other hand, the only way that we are able to manage difficult economic problems is to turn them over to the State (or actually to individuals working under a mantle of being "the state"), it would then follow that State control of property is fundamentally superior to private control.  If that is the case, then we should abandon support of private control, even of the corner grocery.

If state methods are fundamentally superior, they should be universally applied.  If on the other hand private methods are superior, the same rule should apply.

In order to provide economic goods or services such as schools, highways, and hospitals using private methods and ownership, any number of problems may have to be solved.  BUT, if our principles relating to private ownership are CORRECT, we need not abandon those principles - we only need to apply them correctly, whatever the problem.

 Go to next lesson ... >>