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WHO OWNS THE EARTH? |
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Who owns the Earth? Whose planet is this, anyway? How does it happen that one person has the power to carve out vast areas of land and say, “This is mine, to do with as I will” — as if the Earth Herself were a consumable commodity in the marketplace — and have the claim backed up by the armed might of the State? Why are others, vast multitudes of women and men, left homeless and destitute, while a few enjoy more opulent wealth than they could use in a thousand lifetimes? How did this situation come to be? Is there not something wrong with this picture?
Property is Theft It has been common knowledge since ancient times that Earth really belongs equally to all of Her inhabitants. John Locke, a major influence on the American Revolution, makes this clear in his 1689 text, The Second Treatise of Government. This is “common sense”— it is self-evident and must be recognized by all honest and ethical members of the human family: Earth belongs to all. In former centuries there were vast areas of field and forest land known as “the commons” which anyone could make use of to procure the necessities of life. But as feudalism gave way to the consolidated power of nation-states and empires, these common lands were increasingly appropriated by lords and kings, till none was left for the common folk (those whose livelihood depended on commonly owned resources). Formerly self-sufficient farmers and hunters were forced to become serfs, slaves and wage laborers. Their right of inheritance to a fair share of Earth’s resources was stripped from them by the swords and guns of kings and their henchmen. Brutal “privatization” of the commons for private enrichment forms the basis of capitalism. The modern term “real estate” derives from the archaic “royal estate” — lands appropriated by a king. Another term for involuntary appropriation is armed robbery — the ultimate origin of all modern land ownership claims.
Government: A Form of Organized Crime Present-day governments and the corporations licensed by them are in reality nothing more than criminal gangs that have achieved supremacy in the use of coercion and the institutionalization of violence and theft. Claims of legitimacy used by governments to excuse their crimes were based on the supposed “divine right of kings” during the Medieval period. When the Age of Reason brought a loss of faith in this superstitious idea, the “social contract” theory was introduced: that the people have agreed to surrender their natural rights of liberty and Earth inheritance in exchange for the “protection” offered by governments. The Mafia is famous for exactly the same “protection rackets.” Did you ever give your consent to this “contract”? A contract is only valid if it is entered into freely, without coercion, by all parties. The present governments of Earth are illegitimate shams. They must be eliminated before true progress toward liberty and justice for all can be made on Planet Earth.
A Cooperative Economy If world resources were managed cooperatively for the mutual benefit of all, exponential increases in economic efficiency would enable us to provide not only sustenance, but a measure of opulence for all Earth citizens. Recognizing collective ownership of the economy, society should distribute dividends rather than collecting taxes. Automated industries could reduce our need for human labor. All goods and services could be provided free, and all work could be voluntary. A few people from each community contributing a few hours of volunteer time each week could keep the system running smoothly. The people of Earth must awake and demand a New World Order for all!
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