Labor Theory of Property

Homesteading and the Loss of Subjective Value

Originally published in Libertarian Papers

The theory of homesteading as a means for property rights formation is one that favors production over consumption and denies the subjectivity of value.

Murray Rothbard, in his The Ethics of Liberty, attempts to derive property ownership from the act of homesteading. Under this system, property is claimed through the act of mixing one’s labor with it. However, the theory of homesteading as a means for property rights formation is one that favors production over consumption and denies the subjectivity of value.

Read the full article at Libertarian Papers.

Citation (Chicago Style).

Duncan, Thomas K. "Labor Theory of Property: Homesteading and the Loss of Subjective Value." Libertarian Papers, 3, no. 22, (2011).

To speak with a scholar or learn more on this topic, visit our contact page.

Mercatus AI Assistant
Ask questions about this research.
GPT Logo
Mercatus AI Research Assistant
Ask questions about this research. Mercatus Chatbot AI More Details
Suggested Prompts:
Ask us anything. We use OpenAI's ChatGPT 4o base model to answer any question about Mercatus research.