The God of the Machine - Tranche 32
Chapter XVI, Excerpt 1 of 2
The Corporations and Status Law
Individual private property is requisite for a high energy system; the owner does not have to wait for permission to put it to use. Business consists of productivity and exchange. These are spontaneous activities which must be carried on in freedom. The field of business is primary. Politics corrupts business and must do so to the degree of its over extension. Politics consists of the power to prohibit, obstruct, and expropriate. Its field is marginal.
In the building and operation of the railways, whatever lay in the realm of private enterprise was done with competence. The first transcontinental railroad was the greatest engineering job ever tackled. The same genius for organization of high energy systems went into the operation of the lines. No previous type of business called for one-tenth the ability of this type. On the whole, the public respected his achievement. What people hated was the monopoly. The monopoly was the political contribution.
The newer states, creations of the federal government rather than of the citizens, tended to look to the Federal government for special legislation, including charity. Every citizen must have the right to use the resultant facilities on equal terms. Government must have the authority to enforce such equality. Successful management and productive enterprise had always been admired and respected, as they should be . . . became liable to suspicion and resentment. Government regulation is imposed.
The Corporations and Status Law
Individual private property is requisite for a high energy system; the owner does not have to wait for permission to put it to use. Business consists of productivity and exchange. These are spontaneous activities which must be carried on in freedom. The field of business is primary. Politics corrupts business and must do so to the degree of its over extension. Politics consists of the power to prohibit, obstruct, and expropriate. Its field is marginal.
In the building and operation of the railways, whatever lay in the realm of private enterprise was done with competence. The first transcontinental railroad was the greatest engineering job ever tackled. The same genius for organization of high energy systems went into the operation of the lines. No previous type of business called for one-tenth the ability of this type. On the whole, the public respected his achievement. What people hated was the monopoly. The monopoly was the political contribution.
The newer states, creations of the federal government rather than of the citizens, tended to look to the Federal government for special legislation, including charity. Every citizen must have the right to use the resultant facilities on equal terms. Government must have the authority to enforce such equality. Successful management and productive enterprise had always been admired and respected, as they should be . . . became liable to suspicion and resentment. Government regulation is imposed.
I have never understood why Jefferson et al left property rights out of the Declaration of Independence.
As written:
"...certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness..."
Should have been written:
"...certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, pursuit of Happiness, and the Absolute Right to the ownership of Property earned or inherited..."
Property is the most basic of Natural Rights
For what its worth, George Mason published The Virginia Declaration of Rights on June 12, 1776 which Jefferson drew upon for the DOI. https://www.archives.gov/founding-doc...
The first article reads: "Section 1. That all men are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity; namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety."
Which laws on which side of the line apply?
Do citizens of the USA have an ownership in the country? Can they object to the flood of aliens streaming across America's southern border?
Do the States have the power to erect fences?
Complicated indeed.