Socialist New York Times

Saturday, July 2nd, 2005 9:43 pm by Neal

Jacob Sullum’s Hail Seizers! reveals the popularity of socialist thought at The New York Times. As expected, the NYT is giddy and elated about the Supreme Court blunder in Kelo v. New London in which it was affirmed that private property rights no longer exist in the United States.

Socialism, one. Individualism, zero.

Sullum notes:

In an editorial headlined “The Limits of Property Rights,” the Times called this decision “a welcome vindication of cities’ ability to act in the public interest.” It said the redevelopment plan at issue in Kelo, which involves leveling the Fort Trumbull neighborhood of New London, Connecticut, to make way for a conference center, restaurants, and shops, “may hurt a few small property owners,” but “many more residents are likely to benefit if the city can shore up its tax base and attract badly needed jobs.”

The collectivist logic here is worthy of a Soviet central planner: The government decides what “the public interest” is and allocates resources accordingly, without regard to the private plans of the individuals who happen to own those resources. It’s OK if people are hurt in the process, because on balance the welfare of the group will improve.

Remember this: Property Rights are the most important rights and, in fact, form the basis for all rights. Your right to your own liberty, as an individual, stems from the fact that you own yourself. Take away property rights, and one day someone else will own you, as was the case with slavery, a dark time ago.

“The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God,
and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence.”
— John Adams

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