private property rights

The inclusion of private property rights among fundamental human rights is clearly defined in national constitutions and international human rights instruments. The following are the main grounds for this

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)

• Article 17: "Every person, alone or jointly with others, shall have the right of ownership."

  • Article 17

  • Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.

  • No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

    • OHCHR | Universal Declaration of Human Rights - English

International Covenants on Human Rights (1966)

• The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) recognize property rights as fundamental human rights.

Constitution of each country

• In the constitutions of many countries, property rights are clearly stated as part of fundamental human rights. For example, Article 29 of the Constitution of Japan states that "the right to property shall not be violated.

On these grounds, private property rights are widely recognized internationally as part of fundamental human rights.

As a basic human right, the emphasis is on "not having what you have taken away from you", not on whether private ownership of land is good or bad in the first place.

• It should not be taken away from those who already own land.
• If land is not marketable, most people can't even own it. - Singapore's Land Ownership System
• It's OK for the government to acquire and not give it away from the state already in circulation.

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