The First Pillar - Property Rights

How a society regards private property rights and how they seek to guarantee such rights speaks volumes about that society's regard for the rights of the individual.

Societies that have tried to deny private property rights have a bad history. The pilgrims in this country nearly died from a failed attempt at communal living. So-called "communism" in recent and current times is mostly associated with poverty, repression, famine, and the murder of 100 million people.

Some claim that 'true communism' has never been tried. Well, people have tried to get there, but it seems that communism on any large scale is so contrary to human nature that a society simply can't practice it. Ants and termites, maybe, but not people.

Individual liberty includes the right to assert "This is mine!" in the context of a society that will protect this right.

And if you don't agree with the idea of property rights, don't complain if I bop you on the head and take your wallet and watch. You were just holding them, after all - its not like they were yours.