Your moral responsibility on the other hand would NOT similarly exist if someone stole your car and a collision occurred while the thief was operating it.

The car in this case at the time of the collision would effectively belong to the thief, who is now responsible for its behavior - even though he many not be held to be the rightful owner of the car in the legal sense.

The thief as an owner of himself is responsible for his own actions, which would include his act of theft as well as his actions in the operation of the vehicle, leading to the collision.

Admittedly, the law has become very cumbersome and is very often contradictory on this point.  Remember however, that in this examination we are not so concerned with the pickier legal aspects of property and ownership as may have been established, as we are concerned with the rightful, natural, and moral aspects.

Authority means that you and only you may rightfully make ultimate decisions over your property, since you are properly and rightfully the exclusive controller.

Responsibility means that you and only you can rightfully be assessed for the costs arising from the operation of your property or for its existence.

Thus, if your property is stolen (removed from your possession and/or control), it is not up to some amorphous "society" to make good on your loss.  It is up to you to protect yourself and to assume the full costs if any accrue.  Responsibility and authority are both exclusive conditions.

Go to next lesson ...>>